Private sector fims in Scotland have raised staffing levels in February for the first time since last October, according to a report from the Bank of Scotland.

The report’s employment index posted 50.5 in February, up from 48.8 in January.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Scotland PMI – a seasonally adjusted index monitoring activity across Scotland’s manufacturing and service industries – rose from 52.9 in January to 55.9.

Donald MacRae, chief economist at Bank of Scotland, says: “For the first time in six months, performance in Scotland was stronger than that registered for the UK as a whole, however this needs to be maintained throughout the year, not just as the weather improves, to counteract the effect of public spending cuts.”