Murray to ‘sell Scotland to the world’ on trade trips to America and Asia

Jobs and investment could benefit from trade missions which will “sell Scotland to the world”, the Scottish Secretary has said.

Ian Murray is to lead trips promotoring Scottish produce to the key markets of Asia and America this year.

The Labour govenrment minister is to lead a delegation to Washington and New York in the spring, ahead of a trip to Japan and China this summer.

Since taking on the role of Scottish Secretary after Labour’s election victory last July, he has already undertaken trade missions to Norway, Singapore and Malaysia.

And he said he would continue to use the “soft power of the UK government’s international networks” to promote Scottish businesses overseas.

Mr Murray declared: “From salmon to scotch to shipbuilding, science to services, Scotland is the best in the world and I want to ensure there is a platform for us to sell ourselves to the world.

“There is no better way to do that than engaging with the two biggest economies in the world and that’s what the Scotland Office will be doing in the coming months.”

He added: “As part of our Brand Scotland programme, we will use the soft power of the UK government’s international networks to ensure Scottish products can be promoted globally.

“Increasing our international exports is a key way we can unlock more jobs and investment for Scotland.

“As a former business owner myself I want to see more Scottish business promote themselves on that global stage, opening themselves up to new markets and customers.”