Call for state help to stave off failures

THE Scottish Government should launch an "early intervention" programme to cut the number of business going to the wall, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (Icas).

In its manifesto ahead of May's Holyrood elections, Icas yesterday called on the next administration to "take its share of responsibility" to reduce the number of firms becoming insolvent.

Figures from Companies House showed a 21.7 per cent year-on-year rise in the number of firms going bust in the final three months of 2010.