Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which UK produce and products, by value, comprise the main freighted items transported by air to international markets; and what the primary destinations are of those products.
Information on the value of goods by mode of transport is only available for goods exported to non-EU countries that are cleared for customs purposes at UK airports from HMRC. Table 1 displays the top five product categories exported by air by value in 2018, and the associated top five export partner countries for these goods.
Table 1: Main UK good exports by air to non-EU countries by value, 2018
Goods category exported by air, and top 5 export countries | Exports, £ billions |
Precious metals, stones and jewellery | 30.18 |
Switzerland | 14.75 |
China | 4.58 |
Turkey | 2.47 |
Hong Kong | 2.22 |
United Arab Emirates | 1.64 |
Machinery and mechanical appliances | 19.96 |
United States | 5.12 |
United Arab Emirates | 2.18 |
Singapore | 1.98 |
Hong Kong | 1.69 |
Japan | 1.01 |
Pharmaceutical products | 8.41 |
United States | 3.81 |
China | 1.02 |
Japan | 0.63 |
Australia | 0.24 |
Saudi Arabia | 0.23 |
Electrical machinery and equipment | 7.28 |
United States | 2.01 |
China | 0.60 |
Hong Kong | 0.49 |
Singapore | 0.34 |
United Arab Emirates | 0.40 |
Optical, measuring, medical or surgical instruments | 6.79 |
United States | 2.45 |
China | 0.65 |
Japan | 0.52 |
Hong Kong | 0.29 |
Saudi Arabia | 0.23 |