A new survey has revealed that Scottish recruitment firms have found a sharp rise in the number of people securing permanent jobs.

The survey – the Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs – also discovered a strong increase in vacancies for both permanent and temporary jobs last month.

The bank said the report demonstrated the sharpest rise in permanent staff placements since the survey was launched more than 10 years ago.

The survey revealed that demand for permanent staff increased in seven out of eight employment sectors, led by IT and Computing, while job vacancy growth was particularly marked in the engineering and construction sector.

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Earlier this month, the Purchasing Managers Index - which is also published by the Bank of Scotland - suggested companies were winning new orders in July, while managers were also planning to expand their workforce.

The reports are further strengthened by official figures released last week that showed the number of Scots in work to is now at its highest level for more than four years.

The Bank of Scotland's labour market barometer for July rose to 60.3 from 58.5 in June - its highest level since September 2007.

The barometer is measured against a baseline of 50, with anything above that number representing an improvement in market conditions. Any number below 50 means a deterioration.

Elsewhere in the study, Aberdeen-based recruiters recorded the strongest increases in both permanent and temporary staff placements, while permanent staff availability deteriorated to the greatest extent in Glasgow.

Bank of Scotland Chief Economist Donald MacRae said: "These results suggest rising business confidence is translating into a continuation of the recovery in the Scottish economy this summer."

(JP/IT)