More Scots finding work as jobless rate dips by 10,000 in three months

Unemployment in Scotland has fallen for the second month in a row, with the latest figures showing 221,000 are out of work.

Official figures showed the jobless total - which includes those who are unemployed and not eligible for benefits - dropped by 10,000 over the period January to March.

The figure is still 13,000 higher than the same time in 2011.

The Scottish unemployment rate is the same as that for the UK as a whole at 8.2%, although in April it was lower than the UK figure.

There was also a drop in the number of Scots who are out of work and claiming jobseeker's allowance.

This fell by 900 from March to stand at 142,000 in April - although that total is 3,000 higher than April 2011.

The number of Scots in work rose, with the figures for January to March showing 2,482,000 people in employment - a rise of 24,000 on the previous quarter.

The employment rate is 71.2% - higher than the UK average of 70.5%.

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