UK police have sought advice from Scottish officers after hate crime stalled north of the border but rocketed everywhere else following the Brexit vote.

More than 6,000 hate crimes were reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the wake of the EU referendum - up 20% on the same period in July 2015.

But Police Scotland has seen "no evidence of any increase in level of overall hate crime incidents", Deputy Chief Constable Ruaraidh Nicolson told the Scottish Police Authority (SPA).

Mr Nicolson also criticised police engagement with ethnic minorities elsewhere in the world, insisting Scotland does not have the same counter-terrorism problems as France and Belgium.

He said the static hate crime figures indicate a greater level of "community cohesion" and also keeps Scotland "safe from terrorism".

He said: "In terms of hate crime, we are engaged with every community and we feel that's really important.

"That was commented on yesterday when we had a meeting with police south of the border, and they saw our engagement model as one to emulate."

Police Scotland has a quick response to world events which could cause spikes in hate crimes, he said.

SPA member Douglas Yates said: "This is quite different from what is being experienced south of the border. Does this mean that there is better community cohesion up here?"

Mr Nicolson said: "I hope it does tell us about community cohesion and community engagement. I think that is one of the key things in terms of counter-terrorism.

"When you look across the world and you look at France and Belgium and the number of people that are going to Syria and back, we do not have that in Scotland.

"That is about engagement by people with authority and a far better experience, I would suggest, in this country than there is elsewhere.

"We have seen examples of that in the media over the last few days.

"So I think it is about community cohesion, community engagement, it's really, really important.

"We need to absolutely focus on that over the next few years - forever actually - as that is what will keep communities safe, that is what will reduce and deal with hate crime and will keep us safe from terrorism as well."