More people out of work

Scotland’s jobless total rose by almost 5,000 between November and January to reach 118,000, according to the latest statistics.

The unemployment rate now stands at 4.3%, matching the rate for the UK as a whole.

Meanwhile, the total number of people employed in Scotland fell slightly during the quarter to 2,644,000.

The Scottish employment rate for those aged 16-65 now stands at 74.8%.

Scotland’s employability minister Jamie Hepburn said that while there had been a slight decrease in employment over the three-month period, there were now 80,000 more people in jobs compared with the pre-recession peak.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “It is encouraging that Scotland’s unemployment rate has fallen over the year”.