Scotland

Hundreds of thousands of people left out of pocket after they were sold Scottish Power cashback warranties between 1998 and 2001 should be paid their share of about £75 million, a group of MPs said today.

Home buyers in Scotland will pay new tax rates when buying a property from today, which will see 50% of buyers pay nothing at all, according to the Scottish Government.

Plans to make people in Scotland who are made bankrupt pay debts for four years rather than three will lead to "increased human misery" for people in financial crisis, debt advice groups are warning.

Many homebuyers in Scotland could benefit from lower stamp duty rates within two years, after a bill passed last week enabling the country to set its own rates for the first time.

Prescription charges will be scrapped in Scotland next month, but they are set to rise in England.