Helen Liddell claimed the future is bright

However, the ILO figure showed a 0.1% rise in the jobless total over three months.

The period between November and January, which recorded a drop of 3,200 in the number of claimants, also saw 3,000 people added to the ILO's figure, bringing unemployment in Scotland up to 6.8%.

Over the course of the year, the jobless total as measured by the ILO went up by 15,000 people, or 0.6%.

The figures were broadly in line with the trends in the rest of the UK, although the jobless total based on the number of claimants is higher at 4.1% in Scotland, compared to 3.1% across Britain.

Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell said the figures proved the Scottish jobs market was on an "essentially sound" footing.

She said: "The strong economic foundations laid down by this government, along with targeted action to increase employability, is the best way to ensure a bright future for the Scottish economy.

"However, recent events have shown how we cannot achieve this in isolation.

"This is why the conclusions reached with our EU partners in Barcelona on European economic reform are so important."