Unemployment rose in the previous two quarters

The government's preferred measure of unemployment stood at 147,000 for the three month period to the end of November last year.

The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits also fell by 600 to just over 98,000.

Scottish Secretary Alistair Darling said this figure was at its lowest level for 28 years.

He said the prospects for the Scottish economy were good.

"This is confirmed by a fall in unemployment and supported by encouraging recent survey and forecast evidence," he said.

Previous year

"Furthermore, the claimant count is now at its lowest since September 1975."

The drop in unemployment figures came after increases totalling 15,000 over the previous two months.

The unemployment rate for the quarter September to November was 5.8%, a fall of 0.5% from the previous year.