Funding of almost £6 million has been announced to boost PE in schools.

The cash should help councils continue to improve the quality of PE lessons, and help capitalise on enthusiasm for sport from youngsters in the wake of the Commonwealth Games and golf's Ryder Cup coming to Scotland next year.

A total of £5.8m will be made available for PE lessons over the period 2014 to 2016. The cash was announced at the same time as the Scottish Government's draft youth sport strategy was published.

The strategy sets out proposals to extend competitive sport in and between schools, to ensure children have an opportunity to experience such events.

It also includes plans to involve disabled youngsters in sport and PE provision, and to ensure high quality coaches and others can work to raise the profile of young people in sport. Sport Minister Shona Robison said: "We know the power of sport to deliver better health and wellbeing for young people and this continued commitment to PE funding will help prepare young people to lead a fulfilling, active and healthy lifestyle."

Both the sports agency sportscotland and the education body Education Scotland highlighted the growing number of youngsters receiving the target of two hours of PE a week for primary school pupils and two periods of PE a week for secondary school students.

The latest figures showed 88% of primary schools and 91% of secondary schools were providing this.