Welsh Exports, Quarter 2 2012

Welsh exports for the four quarters up to and including 2012 quarter 2 were up 0.6 per cent on the previous four quarters (sum of the UK countries and English regions up 4.8 per cent).  Figures for 2012 quarter 2 in isolation were down on the same quarter of 2011 and down on the previous quarter.

The key results are as follows:

• The value of exports for Wales for the four quarters up to and including 2012 quarter 2 increased by £81 million compared with the previous four quarters.  
• There was a decrease in exports to EU countries but an increase to non-EU countries, down £421 million (7.4 per cent) and up £502 million (6.8 per cent) respectively.
• All but two of the twelve UK countries and English regions saw increases over this period, with Wales having the second smallest increase. London had the largest increase (up 12.4 per cent) followed by the West Midlands (9.8 per cent). Of the remaining two regions, the largest fall was in the South East (down 2.1 per cent), followed by the North West (down 1.6 per cent).
• Between 1999 and four quarters up to and including 2012 quarter 2 there was a 106.0 per cent increase in Welsh exports, the third largest behind the North East and the East of England. This compares with an increase of 70.5 per cent for the sum of the UK countries and English regions. Scotland was the only region to see a fall over this period.
• Looking at 2012 quarter 2 in isolation, total exports (by value) for Wales fell on the corresponding quarter in 2011 by £112 million (down 3.3 per cent) to £3,268 million.  Four of the twelve UK countries and English regions had increases over this period with East Midlands having the largest increase (up 9.2 per cent) whilst the largest fall was in the North West (down 17.9 per cent). Overall, the value of exports for the sum of the UK countries and English regions fell by 2.3 per cent.
• Welsh exports for 2012 quarter 2 were lower in value than in the previous quarter (down £48 million or 1.5 per cent), whilst the sum of the UK countries and English regions fell by 5.5 per cent. Only one of the twelve UK countries and English regions saw an increase over this period (Scotland, up 3.6 per cent).  The largest fall was in the North West (down 19.4 per cent), Wales had the second smallest fall.

We are moving from using the current sectoral definitions to using the same sectoral definitions as HMRC. The detailed dataset on StatsWales will be updated to include these new data as soon as is possible.

Further information

UK Trade Info website: Regional Trade Statistics Press Releases

StatsWales website

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 5017
E-mail: economic.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

6 December 2012