Welsh Exports up to Quarter 1, 2008

Welsh exports for the four quarters up to and including quarter 1 2008 were down 2.9 per cent on the previous four quarters (sum of the devolved countries and English regions down 2.2 per cent).  Figures for quarter 1 2008 in isolation were up on both the same quarter of 2007 and the previous quarter.

The key results are as follows:

• The value of exports for Wales for the four quarters up to and including quarter 1 2008 fell by £268 million (2.9 per cent) compared to the previous four quarters.  The value of exports for the total of all devolved countries and English regions also fell over the same period, by 2.2 per cent.
• The reduction for Wales was made up of a reduction of £118 million in exports to non-EU countries (down 3.2 per cent) and a reduction of £150 million in exports to EU countries (down 2.7 per cent).
• Five of the twelve devolved countries and English regions saw reductions over this period. The North East and Northern Ireland saw the biggest percentage increases in the value of exports over these four quarters (up 20.7 per cent and 6.8 per cent respectively).
• There was a 42.0 per cent increase in Welsh exports between 1999 and the latest four quarters. This compares with an increase of 31.9 per cent for the sum of the UK countries.
• Looking at quarter 1 2008 in isolation, total exports (by value) for Wales increased on the corresponding quarter in 2007 by £40 million (up 1.7 per cent) to £2,319 million.  London and the East Midlands were the only two regions to experience falls in the value of exports over this period. Overall, the value of exports for the sum of the UK countries increased by 7.6 per cent.
• Welsh exports for quarter 1 2008 were higher in value than in the previous quarter (up £88 million or 4.0 per cent), compared to a 0.4 per cent reduction for the sum of the UK countries. Five of the twelve devolved countries and English regions experienced a rise in the value of exports on the previous quarter whilst the remaining seven saw falls.

The detailed dataset on StatsWales will be updated to include these new data by 12 noon on 13 June 2008.

Contact:
Tel: 029 2082 6369
E-mail: economic.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next Update: 
7 October 2008