Scotland now has the highest employment rate of any UK nation — with the rate growing to a record high of 75.8% over the last quarter in May to July 2017, the Scottish Government said.

Over the same period, Scotland’s unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to a joint record low of 3.8%.

More than three quarters of people aged 16-64 in Scotland are in employment.

Labour Market Statistics, released on Wednesday by the ONS, show Scotland’s employment rate rose by 1.8 percentage points over the quarter to 75.8%, meaning there are 49,000 more people in work than the previous quarter.

This is above the UK rate of 75.3%.

Over the same period, Scotland’s unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to a joint record low of 3.8%.

The inactivity rate fell by 1.6 percentage points, meaning there are 54,000 fewer inactive people aged 16-64 years than in February to April 2017.

Scotland’s female unemployment rate fell by 0.6 percentage points over the year to 3.5%.

Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “These are the latest encouraging figures for Scotland’s economy and labour market – employment has never been higher and unemployment has never been lower.

“There are now 109,000 more people in employment compared to the pre-recession peak and Scotland now has the highest employment rate in the UK.

“Our unemployment rate remains a success story, showing that the labour market remains resilient and robust.

“With the most recent GDP figures showing the Scottish economy grew nearly four times that of the UK in the first quarter of this year, today’s labour market figures are further proof that the fundamentals of Scotland’s economy remain strong, despite the challenges posed by Brexit.”