Unemployment in Scotland has fallen for the fourth consecutive month, with new figures showing the jobless total now stands at 200,000.
Official statistics disclosed the number of people out of work, including those who are unemployed and not eligible for benefits, fell by 4,000 over the period November to January.
There are now 32,000 fewer jobless Scots than there were a year ago.
While unemployment north of the border dropped, the number of people out of work in the UK as a whole increased for the first time in a year, jumping 7,000 to a new total of 2.52 million.
The jobless rate in Scotland remains lower than the UK as a whole, standing at 7.4% north of the border compared to 7.8%
As well as the fall in the number of people out of work, the figures revealed a rise in employment.
A total of 2,483,000 Scots were in work in the period November to January up by 19,000 on the previous three months.
But the figures also showed a small increase in the number of Scots who were out of work and claiming jobseeker’s allowance.
This rose by 300 from January’s total to stand at 137,700 in February although this total is 5,200 lower than the same time last year.
