Member Article

Fox makes first Scottish business hunt following Trade Secretary appointment

Liam Fox has made his first trip to Scotland as International Trade Secretary, conducting the first meeting with Scottish ministers since the formation of the Department for International Trade.

Meeting Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, and Lord Dunlop, Scotland Office Minister, the ministers discussed the importance of cross-governmental working as the UK looks to seize future opportunities in trade and investment.

Dr Fox then met with the chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, an industry body representing one of Britain’s most successful exports.

The minister also met CBI Scotland and took the opportunity to attend a roundtable with local businesses. He rounded off his trip with a visit to Leonardo Finmeccania, an Italian multinational aerospace, defence and security company

Fox said: “Working together with my counterparts in Scottish government our focus will be to secure the best possible deals for the whole of the UK.

“Scotland’s exports are world-renowned, and Scotch whisky is just one example of a British export success story, with more than 90% of Scotch being sold outside the UK.

“That’s why I was pleased to be able to meet with local businesses and the Scotch Whisky Association, to reassure them of my commitment to supporting whisky exports and to tackling any barriers that exporters face.”