Firms hold on to £300m tax cash

SCOTTISH companies have now delayed tax payments of more than £300 million according to figures released yesterday.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said the figures indicated how important the UK government's Business Support scheme had been to Scottish firms over the last year.

Jim Murphy said: "I know from travelling round the country and meeting people that two of the measures most warmly welcomed have been tax deferral and the car scrappage scheme.

"Both schemes have now been extended, which is a measure of their success."