Nicola Sturgeon's internationally-commended cabinet of equal men and women has been welcomed by MSPs despite the additional expense.

Opposition parties said they will judge whether the extra £55,000 pay bill for the expanded cabinet of five men and five women is worth it by their record as they were officially approved at Holyrood today.

The gender-balanced cabinet has been hailed an example for others to follow by the United Nations, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs.

"The cabinet I am proposing today has 10 members, and I am very pleased to be able to say that half of those members are women," she said.

"In Westminster, there are also five women in cabinet - but that is a cabinet of 22.

"I'm very proud to lead a cabinet that doesn't just talk about equality but lives up to the principle of equality.

"As far as I am aware we are one of the only cabinets in the industrialised world to have a 50/50 gender balance, a move that was hailed on Friday by the United Nations as an example for others to follow."

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: "She has delivered a 50/50 gender balance for the cabinet, something we urged her to do and something I very much welcome.

"I look forward to her in due course delivering 50/50 in her parliamentary party and indeed on every public board in Scotland.

"I know that the size of the Scottish Government has grown, with two additional ministers costing the public purse over £55,000 extra per year, but we will judge if it's a price worth paying based on whether her ministers are focused on delivering results."

Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: "I do note that in 2007 there were five cabinet ministers and 10 junior ministers, and there are now nine and 13.

"But, as Jackie Baillie said, we want to see if they are worth it and the next few months will prove whether that is the case or not."

He added: "Gender balance has been mentioned several times.

"In a back-handed compliment to that huge Hollywood blockbuster Three Men And A Little Lady, this parliament is now fronted by three ladies and a little Willie."

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie commended the gender balance.

"The fact that it has been recognised internationally is something that this chamber should be proud of," he said.

"But even more importantly than that it has sent a powerful message, not just to young girls and aspiring young women across Scotland and further afield as well, but to young men and boys as well that they should treat women equally."