SCOTLAND’S unemployment rate has fallen to yet another record low despite the continued uncertainty over Brexit.
The Office of National Statistics reported just 3.3 per cent of the adult population was looking for work in the three months between December and February.
It was a fall of 0.3 points on the previous quarter, and 0.9 points down on the year.
A total of 93,000 people in Scotland were jobless, down 8,000 on the previous quarter.
The unemployment rate for women fell to 2.8%, for men to 3.8%, and for young people to 7.2%, all rates lower than in the UK as a whole.
Scotland’s employment rate also went in the right direction, rising 0.3 points to 76.6%.
The number of people in work in Scotland rose to a record 2.69m, up from 2.67m.
The UK jobless rate for the last quarter fell 0.1 points on the quarter to 3.9% - its lowest since the end of 1975 - while employment up 0.3 points to 76.1%.
SNP Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said: “Despite the huge and continued challenges of Brexit, the Scottish economy and jobs market continues to strengthen.
“Labour market outcomes for young people in Scotland once again outperform the UK. Scotland’s employment rate for women rose, over the quarter, to 71.8%, the same rate as for the UK as a whole.
“The employment rate for young people in Scotland rose to 59.5% over the year, higher than the UK rate of 55.1%.
“While Scotland’s economy and job market continues to grow, the UK Government’s Brexit plans, in whatever form, will cost jobs, make people poorer and damage our society.”
Tory Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “It is great news that unemployment in Scotland is at a record low, coupled with the rise in employment, there is a lot to be positive about.
“Scotland’s two governments are working together to strengthen our economy and create jobs, with our growth deal programme reaping rewards across the nation.
“The UK Government’s investment in growth deals is now more than £1.35bn, showing our huge commitment to growing Scotland’s job sector and economy.”
Dr Stuart McIntyre of the Fraser of Allander Institute said Scotland’s headline labour market indicators "have arguably never looked better".
He said: "The unemployment rate at 3.3% is now at its lowest rate since 1992, and the employment rate at 75.6% is near its record high of 75.8%.
“That said, wage growth is relatively weak, with many workers seeing little or no wage growth. Ordinarily with headline labour market numbers this impressive, we’d expect to see much more rapid wage growth.
"More generally concerns remain about the quality of work available, in work poverty, and how fragile the experience of work is for some.”
Across the UK, the number of people in work was up 179,000 on the quarter to 32.7m.
Average weekly earnings were up 1.5% on the year in real terms, the highest jump since 2016.
The number of economically inactive people also fell by 114,000 in the latest quarter to 8.53m, just under 21% and the joint lowest rate on record.
ONS deputy head of labour market statistics Matt Hughes said: "The jobs market remains robust, with the number of people in work continuing to grow.
"The increase over the past year is all coming from full-timers, both employees and the self-employed.
"Earnings have now been growing ahead of inflation for over a year, but in real terms, wage levels have not yet returned to their pre-downturn peak."
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