Scotland's unemployment rate fell sharply in the autumn to below its level before the start of the pandemic, according to official figures.

Office for National Statistics data showed the number of Scots seeking work between September and November fell on the previous quarter by 0.8% to 3.6%.

The figure for the UK as a whole was 4.1%.

Meanwhile, the employment rate rose to 75.1% of working age adults, lower than the UK figure of 75.5%.

Scotland's Employment Minister Richard Lochhead said more Scots may now be employed by companies than before the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

He said "early estimates" from HM Revenue and Customs showed that in December 2021 there were 2.42 million employees in Scotland - 22,000 more than there were in February 2020.