News

Gross mortgage lending in the UK reached £18.9 billion in January, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

David Melhuish Receipts from the Scottish Government’s Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) may fall below government estimates at the end of the 2016/17 financial year, according to official statistics.

Glasgow-based engineering equipment giant Weir Group has reported a 21 per cent drop in pre-tax profits for last year.

Edinburgh-based life and pensions business Scottish Widows saw underlying profit fall by 13 per cent to £837 million last year as it was hit by the fallout of new pension reforms.

Catherine McManus Following on from Wylie & Bisset’s recent appointment of its new executive team, the Glasgow-based accountants have today announced the appointment of Catherine McManus to Tax Partner.

Nick Penny Despite a year of uncertainty, the Scottish office market remains buoyant, according to Savills.

Gary Louttit By Gary Louttit, head of hospitality and leisure at Shepherd Chartered Surveyors

Demand for farmland in Scotland has further decreased, having now been declining for the last 24 months, according to the latest RICS / RAU Rural Land Market Survey.

More than 25 per cent of Scottish consumers are concerned about the impact of Brexit on their spending plans over the next 12 months (against a UK average of 20 per cent), while almost two-thirds worry about their lack of disposable income, according to PwC’s new Total Retail report.

Graeme Finnie Scottish accountancy firm French Duncan has selected an Edinburgh charity as their dedicated fundraising partner for the year.

Emma Carmichael The Association of Women in Property (WiP) has announced its new central Scotland branch chairman for 2017/18.

Royal Bank of Scotland has contributed just under £3 million to a £6.5 million “buyer induced management buy-out” deal at a Glasgow print finishing business.

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.