Call to ban tax-dodging firms from winning public contracts

NEW laws should be used to send a “clear message” to companies which dodge paying tax, trade union leaders have said.

The Procurement Reform Bill has been put forward by the Scottish Government in an attempt to improve the way the public sector buys goods, works and services.

Leaders at Unison, which represents public service workers, said firms which did not pay taxes should be banned from winning public contracts.

Unison’s Dave Watson said: “There is enormous public anger over companies that don’t pay their share of tax.”