The Scottish Government's determination to make Scotland more competitive is crucial given the recent developments in the global economy, according to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney.

Swinney was commenting as figures were released showing that Scottish GDP rose by 2.1 per cent annually, and increased by 0.5 per cent over the third quarter of 2007. In the UK, GDP rose by 3.2 per cent annually and rose by 0.7 per cent over the third quarter of 2007.

Swinney said: “These figures demonstrate that the Scottish Government has been absolutely right to begin a sustained effort to make this country more competitive and end decades of economic underperformance.

“Positive growth is always welcome, but the Scottish economy can do better. That is why the Government Economic Strategy puts increasing, sustainable economic growth at the heart of what the whole of the public sector is striving to achieve.

“We are already turning the strategy into reality and acting to reduce and remove business rates, improve the planning system and refocus our enterprise networks.

“And with the global economic outlook suggesting a challenging period ahead, we must push ahead with these reforms and make Scotland better able to outperform competitor economies and withstand the pressures the future will bring.”