Demand for contractors in Scotland has hit a six-month high, according to reports.

Contractorcalculator.co.uk reports that demand for contractors was shown in the in the Bank of Scotland's strength of demand table to be highest in the IT and computing sectors, followed by engineering and construction.

The report confirmed a marked increase in contractor vacancies in these sectors, saying that activity in the offshore renewable and oil and gas sectors could account for this.

Additionally, contracting rates were seen to improve dramatically from October, which recruitment companies have explained by a shortage of candidates possessing specialist skills.

However, the latest overall employment figures from the Office of National Statistics have proved disappointing, with unemployment rising by 35,000 to 2.5 million in the third quarter.