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Scottish exports to both countries are worth more than 拢695 million a year聽alone.

In total, the UK and Denmark have a 拢12 billion trading relationship (imports and exports) and the figure is聽拢881 million for the UK and Faroes.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart undertook a packed programme in Copenhagen and T贸rshavn, including:

• meeting key industry representatives and leading political figures to bolster our ties across trade, investment, green energy, telecoms aquaculture, space, research, security and the West鈥檚 joint Russia/Ukraine response

• getting a progress report from one of the world鈥檚 biggest energy companies on its investment into Scotland and聽the rest of the聽UK

• visiting the Faroese company that owns one of Scotland鈥檚 largest fish farm firms to hear about their investment plans

• learning about connectivity in the Faroes archipelago (fixed link and technological)

• visiting a Faroese military cemetery to lay a wreath on a Commonwealth War Grave.

The Minister also discussed sanctions against Russia and the issue of Russian vessels in Faroese-UK shared fishing waters.

Minister Stewart said:

Scotland plays a vital role聽within the聽United Kingdom and it was an honour to promote our聽interests聽in Denmark and the Faroe Islands to encourage greater trade links聽to directly benefit Scottish communities.

We greatly value the strong and important ties between the UK and our European friends, neighbours and fellow聽NATO聽members. There are enduring cultural, business and trade links between Scotland and Nordic countries.

While in Copenhagen, the Minister met with Her Majesty鈥檚 Ambassador to Denmark, Emma Hopkins, and Carsten Gr酶nbech-Jensen, Denmark鈥檚 State Secretary for European Affairs and the Arctic. He also聽went to the Danish Parliament to meet MPs from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

There聽was also a visit to Aved酶re power station, whose owner - 脴rsted (Denmark鈥檚 largest power company) - has invested in the Salamander floating offshore wind project off the east coast of Scotland.

In the Faroes he met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs director Gunnar Holm-Rasmussen and Minister Magnus Rasmussen from the Ministry of Trade. Discussions included shared opportunities from the fisheries sector and access to the jointly managed Faroes/UK Special Area in the North Atlantic.

He visited Bakkafrost (the firm which owns the Scottish Salmon Company) to talk about their plans for investment in Scotland and met executives from F酶roya Tele, a public telecoms company, about rural connectivity and planned investments in Orkney and Shetland.

The Minister will also met the company that runs the archipelago鈥檚 network of road tunnels to see whether it could be feasible to implement similar links between the Scottish Islands. As part of the visit he saw the world鈥檚 2nd-longest sub-sea road tunnel and first undersea roundabout.

He said:

It was fascinating to see how the Faroes are using subsea tunnels to bring communities on the archipelago closer together. With three tunnels already operating - including one with the world鈥檚 first undersea roundabout - another due for completion next year and a fifth in the planning stage, the Faroese are reaping the huge economic, societal and environmental benefits these fixed links bring.

The CEO of the company operating the tunnels was clear to me that he could see no reason why Shetland, Orkney and other Scottish islands could not help solve connectivity issues with similar subsea fixed links. I know this is a live issue under discussion between people on the islands and their representatives and I am happy to share my findings with them and the Scottish Government.

Ultimately it鈥檚 a matter for those on the islands as to whether this is something they鈥檇 like to see developed in the future. Cost is a factor, as it is for ferry renewals, but it鈥檚 more than about the pounds and pence - the Faroes have shown how such tunnels can help their communities not only survive, but thrive.

At T贸rshavn Military Cemetery, the Minister laid a wreath and paid his respects to World War Two casualties including British sailors who lost their lives when their ships were sunk by enemy action.

In both countries last week鈥檚 visit was supported by the British Embassy聽in Copenhagen, part of the UK鈥檚 extensive diplomatic network.