Danny Alexander joined top Liberal Democrat candidate for Glasgow Katy Gordon at an independent whisky bottlers and suppliers to unveil the party’s export action plan.

Mr Alexander also commented on the Scottish Lib Dems’ plans to free up £1.5 billion to spend on creating 100,000 jobs, an early intervention fund, high speed broadband, a science nation fund and a mass insulation programme, saying:

“The Scottish Lib Dems have put forward a credible and strong plan for the future of Scottish Water.

“This plan has the potential to be a real win win for Scotland and the UK.

“If the next Scottish Government has the political courage to take forward reform of Scottish Water, George Osborne and I will be very open to their constructive proposals.”

Launching the exports plan, Mr Alexander said:

“The Liberal Democrats Exports Action Plan will help create the conditions to grow Scotland’s exports by 50 per cent and double the number of companies who trade overseas.

“Douglas Laing & Co is a great example of a Scottish business exporting iconic Scottish whisky across the globe. We want to more Scottish businesses building Scotland’s proud record as an exporting nation.

“Our action plan includes cutting down the confusion of quangos promoting Scotland abroad and specific funding to help those businesses wanting to export innovative or new-to-market products.”

Notes:

Scotland’s relative position in exporting has fallen back over the last three years. Liberal Democrats will reverse this with an Exports Action Plan:

The Exports Action Plan will:

· Set a target to grow Scottish exports by 50 per cent by economic value by 2020 and double by 2020 the number of companies engaged in exports.

· Ensure there is one body promoting Scotland – Scotland International – ending the proliferation and confusion in public sector bodies in this area.

· Work with Scotland Food and Drink to meet their ambitious export target and work with the UK Department of Business to widen the protected status for special Scottish produce, including whisky.

· Foster an international outlook throughout education by, for example, increasing the learning of Mandarin in schools.

· Focus support on increasing the number of businesses taking the first step into the export market, particularly to the emerging large markets in Brazil, Russia, India and China, by devoting a special strand of funding from our Finance Scotland agency to support Scottish businesses seeking to export innovative and new-to-market products.

· Work with the UK Government to use their global network of embassies, high commissions and consulates more effectively, and ensure better coordination of public and private sector export initiatives and a joined-up approach between agencies working in the interests of Scottish companies. We will explore with the UK Government the benefits of establishing a Scottish export credit scheme.

· Seek increased access to trade missions for all types of business and encourage ‘pump priming’ of financial support for overseas travel.

· Use a strengthened GlobalScots network of expatriate Scots and other friends of Scotland to open doors and open new business opportunities across the world.

· Devote a strand of transport infrastructure planning to support export routes from Scotland, including crossborder roads. We will also make sure that new digital infrastructure such as high speed broadband takes into account the needs of businesses wishing to trade overseas.

· Build on the success of the air route development programme which provided new ways to make international business connections.

· Make sure that Regional Development Banks can tailor their support to give assistance to regionally significant export opportunities in their area, such as the textiles industry in the Borders.

· Help Scottish universities to assist traditional businesses who want to innovate their products, update their marketing pitch and break into new markets. The tweed and cashmere industries are two examples.

· Establish a mentoring scheme to allow small businesses to be partnered with already successful exporting firms, following the example of the Danish gazelle growth programme.

· Keep Scotland tax competitive.