PERMANENT job placements in Scotland have grown at their fastest rate in more than four years, a study by RBS has found.

The latest Jobs for Scotland report said the growth rate in September was the highest since July 2014 and outstripped the UK as a whole.

The survey of around 100 recruitment firms also found a sharp rise in temporary staff appointments. Both permanent and short-term vacancies increased while the supply of candidates worsened, with available candidates for permanent posts at a seven-month low.

Short-term staff availability dropped at the steepest rate since June 2015 and the rate of decline in staff supply was worse than the UK average. But permanent staff starting salaries hit an eight-month high.

Business Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “Recruiters are signalling both demand for staff and job creation is growing more quickly in Scotland than in the UK and results from our latest labour market statistics also showed we are outperforming the UK on employment, unemployment and inactivity rates for women and young people.”