THE level of women in senior employment roles has increased by six per cent over a ten-year period, according to new figures.

Data from the 2011 census shows that females accounted for 36 per cent of people working in a higher managerial, administrative or professional occupations, compared to 30 per cent in the 2001 report.

The figures came as Nicola Sturgeon claimed there was "no glass ceiling" for women in Scotland.

Speaking as she announced her candidacy for SNP leader, the Deputy First Minister said: "I hope that my candidacy, should it succeed, will send a strong message to every girl and young woman in Scotland - no matter your background, in Scotland in 2014 there is no glass ceiling on ambition."

The data has been welcomed by business groups, who claimed it shows the idea of boardrooms as "old men's clubs" is a thing of the past.

David Watt, executive director of the Institute of Directors, said: "I'm delighted at the increase. It certainly seems like things are going in the right direction.

"More women in executive roles means more women in the boardroom and more women running the company and that's very positive.

"Employers are realising now that the more diversity they have in their companies, the better they perform. The idea of old men's club boardrooms is, hopefully, a thing of the past."

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Scotland added that the figures were encouraging, but said there is still room for improvement.

Andrew Palmer, CBI Scotland's director of membership and operations, said: "These figures are a real encouragement that we are on the right track. Diversity makes clear business sense, but there is still a way to go to drive diversity forward at the top of businesses, and amongst future leaders."

At the time of the 2011 census, nine per cent of the four million people aged 16 to 74 in Scotland held higher managerial, administrative and professional jobs.

The figures also show that almost 125,000 Scots aged between 16 and 74 have never worked -including a total of 11,424 aged between 65 and 74 who have been out of work their whole lives.

Scottish Conservative welfare reform spokesman Alex Johnston said the figures reveal "the severity of the culture of worklessness and benefits that's existed in the UK for too long".