Opinion

Anthony Zdanowicz, an associate at DM Hall in Ayr, considers the commercial property market in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Dumfries and Galloway. In the historic Scottish fiefdoms of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Dumfries and Galloway in which I operate, the commercial property environment is rich and di

Derek Gemmell, partner and head of innovations tax at Anderson Anderson & Brown (AAB), discusses the complications arising from R&D tax relief. Following recent consultation on changes to categories of Research and Development (R&D) expenditure that will align the availability of R&D

David Thomson, chief investment officer at VWM Wealth, details the fundamentals of ESG investing. With COP26 in full swing, the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) theme sweeping the investment community could not be more topical.

When I first took on a mortgage, the rate of interest was 6% pa. Many will remember mortgage rates as high as 18% pa in the early 1980s. To an entire generation of homeowners however such rates are unheard of and have never been within their contemplation. Many will have taken out mortgages in the c

In a bid to raise awareness of businesses that have flouted the law and deliberately paid their employees less than the statutory National Minimum Wage (NMW) – which is due to rise further from April 2022 – HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) recently issued a press release listing the most

R&D and innovation was a key feature in Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget. The Chancellor underlined his aim to raise direct and indirect public support for R&D to 1.1% of GDP in 2024-25, well above the OECD average of 0.7%. The Government hopes to bounce back from the financial impact of th

Michael Reid, insolvency practitioner and managing partner at Aberdeen-based chartered accountants Meston Reid & Co, considers the role of a licensed insolvency practitioner. Anyone asked about the daily tasks performed by a licensed insolvency practitioner (LIP) might guess they include busines

Mark Sterritt, UK network director, Scotland at the British Business Bank, discusses angel investment in Scotland. The experience of the past 18 months has underlined the importance of a diverse and accessible financial ecosystem – both in terms of the type of finance available and the provide

Mark Sterritt, UK network director - Scotland at the British Business Bank, talks about the success of the Start Up Loans programme in Scotland and the value that new business brings to the Scottish economy, particularly as we focus on recovery. Scotland’s entrepreneurs may have faced multiple

The UK Government has introduced legislation designed to support small businesses following the end of restrictions on winding up petitions on 30 September, writes Joanne Gillies, partner at Pinsent Masons. The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA) introduced in June 2020 restrict

Neil Bradbrook, managing director of Falkirk-based Ahead Business Consulting and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management, discusses the importance of diverse thought in a business. When it comes to running a business, nothing is more important than diversity of thought. No matter ho

VAT can only be claimed as input tax if the associated costs are incurred in respect of a business (economic) activity and rural businesses need to be aware that HM Revenue & Customs continues to challenge VAT recovery, warns Sean McGinness, partner and head of VAT, Saffery Champness. In Babylon

Derek Money, head of sales at White Oak Leases & Loans in Glasgow, on why it's time for lenders to deliver asset finance solutions that work for the Scottish business community. There has been an uptick in businesses both in Scotland and across the UK using asset finance as we emerge from the pa

Businesses emerging from the Covid-induced cocoon of furlough payments used to retain their workforce since the pandemic struck are now facing the cold wind of scrutiny as HMRC gears up to claw back any cash that may have been handed over in error, writes Christine Rolland, forensic accounting

Andrew Scouller, an independent financial advisor at Phil Anderson Financial Services Ltd, discusses further education funding in the wake of COVId-19 and Brexit. As students return to college and university, it’s an apt time to reflect on how the seismic changes wrought by the pandemic and by