FIRST MINISTER Humza Yousaf hailed Scotland’s “great progress” towards gender equality today as he announced a £16 million investment in nurseries so that childcare workers can be paid at least £12 an hour from April.

Announcing the funding boost during a visit to a Glasgow nursery on International Women’s Day, he said that cash for childcare will help remove some of the “barriers” that women still face.

Mr Yousaf added that he is “proud” that most members of his cabinet are female and that he has appointed the first woman of colour to the Scottish government, with Kaukab Stewart serving as minister for culture, Europe and international development.

“We rightly no longer question what women can accomplish, but we should always question whether we are doing enough to remove barriers that too many women in our society continue to face,” he said.

Children’s Minister Natalie Don, who accompanied Mr Yousaf on the visit, stressed the need to “do more to tackle poverty and support gender equality.”