News

Derek Mackay Finance secretary Derek Mackay yesterday succumbed intense pressure from business leaders and political opponents over hugely inflated fees by announcing a cap on business rates.

Moira Kelly Yesterday’s decision by the Scottish Parliament to set income tax bands differently to the rest of the UK is likely to result in increased complexity for some Scottish taxpayers, the body representing the country’s tax professionals has warned.

Lord Smith of Kelvin Alliance Trust chairman Lord Smith of Kelvin ploughed all but £480 of his £120,000 wage back into the Dundee-based investor last year, according to new research.

Antonio Horta-Osario Lloyds Banking Group has today posted pre-tax profits for 2016, double that of the previous year.

Rod Ashley The boss of Britain’s last remaining independent savings bank has told a Holyrood committee that last month’s decision to close the 182 year-old institution was made to avoid a disorderly, regulator-led demise and the consequent impact on its thousands of customers.

Scottish home buyers borrowed £2.2 billion for house purchase in the final quarter of 2016, down 0.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 3 per cent year-on-year.

West Lothian Council has become the fourth local authority in Scotland to announce a voluntarily freeze of the basic rate of Council Tax while neighbouring East Lothian decided to increase Council Tax by the full 3 per cent.

Derek Mackay Finance secretary Derek Mackay is to announce support for business in the wake of an outcry relating to the Scottish Government’s business rate hikes.

Emma Chalmers The number of Perthshire property sales completed by one estate agent ’s Perth office rose by 38 per cent year-on-year during the final months of 2016 (October – December).

Matthew Cooper New research from global accountancy firm PwC has revealed that while opportunities for women in the workplace have rapidly improved in the UK since 2000, Scotland is still lagging behind the rest of the UK.

Rod Ashley Rod Ashley, the chief executive of Airdrie Savings Bank, will today answer questions from MSPs over the demise of the 182-year-old, and last remaining UK independent savings bank.

There is potential for Royal Bank of Scotland to pay a dividend following its announcement that the bank may not have to sell off its Williams & Glyn branches to meet EU state aid rules.

Demand for temporary professionals in Scotland has risen by 6 per cent year on year to January 2017, according to research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

Dean Mirfin Property wealth boosted the retirement standard of living of Scottish pensioners by more than £86 million last year, according to new data.