MORE women are in work in Scotland than ever before, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.
A total of 74.9% of women aged 16-64 north of the Border are currently employed, the highest since labour force statistics began in 1992.
The data also revealed the unemployment rate in Scotland has dropped by 1.1 percentage points in the past year to 3.3% for the period June to August 2022.
This is below the UK-wide unemployment rate of 3.5%.
It means that Scotland’s estimated employment rate currently stands at 75.8%, which is 0.4 points up on the previous quarter.
This is the joint-second highest employment rate for the country since 1992, along with the periods March to May 2019 and May to July 2017.
It is also higher than the overall UK rate of 75.5%.
Employment minister Richard Lochhead said: “The Scottish economy and labour market are continuing to show resilience, with the employment level the highest in the series and the rate increasing over the quarter to 75.8%.
“Additionally, the employment rate for women in Scotland was the highest since the labour force survey estimates were first published in 1992.
“This is despite the serious challenges Scotland is facing as we recover from the pandemic, the ongoing cost crisis impacting businesses and households, the continued impact of Brexit, and the economic consequences of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine all impacting on the economy.”
Lochhead added that Brexit policies are “continuing to cause Labour shortages” and that this is having a “negative impact” on various sectors across the country.
He continued: "The UK Government holds key powers over migration, visas, VAT, national insurance and key parts of employment law. I have been calling on the UK Government to establish a joint taskforce with devolved nations to alleviate the pressures that current labour market shortages pose.
“Despite agreeing to engage with the devolved nations on these issues in June, we have received no further response to our request for a joint taskforce.
“The UK Government must engage with the Scottish Government and use all available powers to address these matters.”
