Engineering firms in Scotland have reported a fall in orders and output, according to

a survey from Scottish Engineering.

The fall in output was the first in over two and a half years although companies stated they still have plans to invest.

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Bryan Buchan, chief executive of Scottish Engineering, said: "Throughout the country there are unfilled vacancies for engineers in various skills from machine operators to design engineers.

"We plan to initiate a range of activities to actively address this major inhibitor to our growth.

"While it is apparent that order intake has softened, optimism remains positive, as do forecasts for the next three months in terms of trading outlook."

(GK)