Scotland has the second lowest rate of female unemployment across Europe, according to new Scottish Government analysis of European data.

Figures published by Eurostat show that Scotland’s female unemployment (5.2 per cent) and female employment (71.1 per cent) rates in January-March 2015 were ahead of most European competitors, trailing only Germany, Denmark and Sweden in certain areas.

Annabelle Ewing, minister for youth and women’s employment, said “real progress” had been made.

Only Germany has a lower female unemployment rate at 4.5 per cent, while Sweden has a higher female employment rate at 72.4 per cent.

Mrs Ewing said: “Our improvements across women’s employment, unemployment, activity rates and closing the gender gap have been steady and consistent.

“Scotland continues to be a better place to be a working woman than elsewhere in the UK and these latest figures confirm that we are performing better than the majority of the 28 EU countries.

“We have all seen the challenges that have had to be overcome through the recession and we have made creating a fairer, more equal workforce a key to our economic recovery.

“Our commitment to leading the way on 50:50 gender representation on boards; to giving young people real hope and prospects for employment and a career and championing a true living wage that are bound together under our goal of fair work for all employees.”

She added: “These Eurostat figures are worth celebrating. Attitudes and business practices are changing for the better and Scotland continues to be among the best countries in Europe to be a woman in work.”