Scotland's unemployment total falls

Fewer people are out of work in Scotland, according to official figures out today.

Unemployment fell by 10,000 to 207,000 over February and April compared with the previous three months.

But the number of people in work also fell by 7,000 to just over 2.4 million.

The unemployment rate in Scotland is now 7.7%, the same as the UK average.

Jobseeker's allowance numbers rose by 1,200 during last month to 139,300.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said: "The fall in unemployment over the three months to April is welcome news but we recognise these are challenging times for the Scottish labour market. The increase in people claiming jobseeker's allowance is clearly disappointing.

"The UK Government invited the Scottish Government, the country's employment organisations and other stakeholders to work together for a stronger Scottish labour market. This is why we held a seminar in North Ayrshire to look at practical solutions to fight youth unemployment, and will follow this up with two more events in Scotland."