This Thursday is International Women’s Day, an annual calendar event which focuses on the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the globe. While real progress is being made, the recent spate of disturbing stories about bullying, sexual harassment and other forms of abusive behaviour within (but by no means limited to) show business, politics and the international aid sector, remind us how much work is still to be done to achieve gender equality.

In a year where new movements, including Me Too and Time’s Up, have come to fruition, with strong support from many men, it is hugely encouraging to see people uniting to change a culture of repression, but it’s also somewhat depressing that such action is still necessary in the 21st Century. Last year’s report by the World Economic Forum, suggesting gender parity could be as far as 200 years away, leaves little doubt of the enormity of the challenges that remain.

Without underestimating the difficult journey ahead, I believe it is right to mark International Women’s Day in a positive tone by celebrating the great advances that are being made by women in so many areas, including within the world of business. Here in Scotland, we are seeing impressive growth in female entrepreneurship. In the past year, we have seen a doubling in the numbers of women entrepreneurs putting themselves forward for the AccelerateHER Awards programme run by our organisation, Investing Women. It is encouraging to see many of those pitching to lead their companies into international expansion.

We need to continue this upward momentum by building a culture where women feel they have the confidence and the right access to support to help more of them succeed in business. Our organisation was set up on that basis, bringing together a group of established businesswomen who have been there, done it and now want to help other female entrepreneurs progress. Their support is not an act of benevolence but rather a means of creating a new channel to identify and help great businesses maximise their potential.

Getting more women into the investment community helps female-led companies which need to access finance, an issue which is often a key barrier to growth. There is clear evidence from the US, known as the “echo effect”, that increasing the level of female businesses angel investors leads to a direct rise in the proportion of female entrepreneurs securing investment for growth. With women now representing more than a quarter of all American business angels, up from just eight per cent in 2005, investment in female-led companies has grown by an even higher proportion to around 35 per cent.

Supporting female entrepreneurism should be encouraged, not only because it is helping create a more equal society, but for the compelling economic argument that goes with it. The current £5bn that women-led companies are contributing to Scotland’s annual GVA (gross value add) would increase to an estimated £13bn if we could grow the number of female-led businesses to the same level as those run by men. Providing a channel for financial investment is an important aspect to this but it’s often the hands-on support and mentoring, especially in the early days of a new business, which can make a real impact.

Next Thursday, we’ll be marking International Women’s Day with our third annual Ambition and Growth Conference which will also include the finals of the AccelerateHER Awards. These are both examples of great initiatives that provide an important platform to aspiring female entrepreneurs.

With Edinburgh ranking as the top UK city for investment in last month’s report by Arcadis Consultants (and Glasgow placed 8th place), the business environment in Scotland is promising. The challenge now is to ensure we do more to encourage further growth, including helping more female-led businesses access opportunities so they can also thrive within this landscape.

On the happy day that the UK business community becomes a level playing field, there will be no need for exclusively female-focused groups like ours. The concept of marking International Women’s Day may become obsolete once we achieve true gender parity. There is still a long way to go in that journey; but the continued progress in female entrepreneurship will only help get us closer to reaching that goal.

Jackie Waring is founder & CEO of Investing Women

Since I started writing this column, I’ve been blown away by some of the things you’ve contacted me to tell me about. So today I wanted to say a huge thank you to you all.

You’ve told me about countless situations, issues and practices that need to change, and that I’ve been able to publicise as a result.

I sometimes think there’s a real impression that people who make complaints are pushy or demanding and that in some weird way, making a fuss isn’t very “British”.

Well, standing up for yourself when you’ve been treated badly isn’t “making a fuss” in my book. In fact, an extraordinary two million of you have got a complaint sorted through Resolver in just three years – which tells me that as a nation, we’re learning not to be afraid of saying when businesses get things wrong.

Of course, in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need to make complaints. In fact, one of the reasons I choose certain subjects to write about is to help you avoid situations where I know things sometimes go wrong, or to help you avoid dodgy deals or products. Knowing your rights is really empowering – and I’ve learned loads over the years researching this column and writing our guides on Resolver.

So what are the top ten most complained about products or services at Resolver? Well, it’s no surprise that PPI leads the table with just shy of 800,000 complaints (most within the past year). We’ve been working with businesses to help them identify policies that customers have lost, so they can address complaints more effectively. If you’re not sure if you’ve got PPI check out our free tool at www.resolver.co.uk/ppi

Next up are flight delays (300,000) and packaged bank accounts (200,000). A surprisingly large number of people still don’t realise they’re entitled to compensation for flights delayed over three hours. However, watch out for claims manager vultures circling round your cash. You don’t need to pay. Resolver can help you for free.

High street and online shopping complaints are steadily increasing, with a whopping 220,000 complaints combined. I’m expecting complaints about online shopping – and deliveries – to rocket this year. Let me know if you spot any businesses not following the rules. There’s a guide to your rights on the website.

We’ve also had a whopping 90,000 complaints about takeouts and restaurants – another area of complaint on the rise. This is largely down to delivery companies, a subject I’ll be covering next week in a bit more detail.

Rounding off the table are the evergreen subjects of mobile phones, broadband and financial services. I’m working with key businesses and regulators to highlight some of the ongoing problems you’ve been telling me about with these industries, so keep those comments coming. I don’t believe in just resolving complaints when they happen – I’d rather businesses made sure they didn’t happen in the first place.

So congratulations everyone for “being less British” and making your voices heard. I think it’s awesome. I’ll keep on battling to make things better on everything from pensions to parking. But keep those comments coming about the things that you think need to change. Together we can make a difference.

It’s never too soon to start a conversation about getting your children into the savings habit, or setting up money goals for plans you’ve got later in the year.

Here are six ideas to help get those family finances sorted.

Set up a rainy day fund

The average UK family could only sustain their lifestyle for less than two months – 46 days, to be exact – if they were to suddenly lose their main income, research from Post Office Insurance suggests. It’s wise to have a pot of cash you can easily access if you suddenly have to pay an unexpected bill, such as a new boiler or a household repair, or if you have to cope with a sudden dip in your income. It’s often suggested you should have money set aside that’s enough to cover at least three months’ worth of outgoings, and more if possible.

Start saving for fun stuff

If you’ve got an emergency fund sorted, you could consider setting up a family savings pot for fun stuff, such as summer holidays, trips out, or even next Christmas. Having a specific goal in mind when you’re putting money away, for example if you’re imagining the fun you’ll be having on the beach this year, could make saving seem less painful.

Make sure what’s in your home is covered

The average household contains £35,000-worth of possessions, which is more than the average annual salary, at £27,000. But an estimated £266 billion-worth of household possessions across the UK are not insured against risks such as theft, fire, flooding and accidental damage, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI). A quarter (28 per cent) of households do not have home contents insurance. The ABI says the average cost of such insurance is £141 a year – or less than £3 a week. Combined buildings and contents policies cost under £6 per week, typically.

Kick off a savings habit

If you’re looking to lock money away for your child for the longer term, a Junior Isa could be an option, or you could try a regular savings account. Rachel Springall, a finance expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, says cash Junior Isas tend to offer higher rates than other types of children’s savings accounts. Over the longer term, a stocks and shares Junior Isa may outperform the low interest rates on cash savings currently on offer. But savers going for this option need to be prepared for fluctuations. For those looking for savings accounts which can be used for short-term goals and accessed before the child reaches adulthood, Springall highlights HSBC’s MySavings account for children aged from seven years. From age 11, HSBC also offers a current account to help children learn to manage their money. Pocket money apps could be another option, Springall suggests.

Get on top of household bills

As these will probably take up a big chunk of your income, it’s well worth taking the time to see whether you can get a better deal elsewhere on necessities such as energy, food, broadband, childcare and the mortgage.

Clear out your wardrobes

As shoppers are tempted by the new fashion arrivals of spring, American Express and Nectar have found we typically add 37 items of clothing to our wardrobes every year. And once we’ve found an item, we can be reluctant to discard it – the oldest items in wardrobes being typically just under 12 years old. The average monthly spend on new clothes was found to be £91. So if your wardrobes look ready to burst, have a spring clear-out; there may be items you’ve forgotten about which could save you buying duplicates.

When it comes to measuring the impact of The Beast from the East on our economy, the words “seasonally adjusted” barely begin to cover it. Cold snaps we can take and a spell of freezing temperatures we can absorb.

But last week’s carnage, extending across the whole of the UK, with severe disruption over Scotland’s central belt, the north of England, the Midlands and the southwest must rank as one of the worst in recent memory.

Schools and offices closed; air and rail services were cancelled; motorway lorries jackknifed and normally busy dual carriages were almost deserted; deliveries were disrupted and in the high streets of hundreds of towns, already stricken retailers gazed out on deserted aisles. About the only business activity where temperatures rose above freezing was in the insurance company claims departments.

But what permanent damage is likely to have been done? Over the weekend snow ploughs will have cleared blocked roads and emergency vehicles will have hauled the motorway juggernauts back to driving mode. Power will have been restored to trains. Most schools and offices will be back to normal by tomorrow. And as for the high streets, shoppers will soon make good the days of retail withdrawal. Need we worry that much?

Looking to recent history, what can we learn? December 2010 was the coldest for more than a century, according to the Met Office, with snowfalls occurring on several days in almost all areas of the country and temperatures plunging as low as minus 21.3C in the Scottish Highlands.

The severe cold spell in the approach to Christmas was estimated, according to press reports at the time, to cost the economy up to £1.2 billion a day with a total cost of £13bn. Retailers were particularly badly hit by lost sales with footfall down nearly 20 per cent compared with the same period the previous year and as much as 30 per cent in the West Midlands and South East.

The impact on the economy was later investigated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Its findings suggested that the cold snap caused a temporary drop in overall economic growth (GDP), along with dips in the growth of output for retail sales and the UK’s service industries.

The distribution, hotel and restaurant sector showed evidence of an impact, as “customers postponed discretionary trips because of the bad weather”.

Overseas travel and tourism, according to the ONS, was also hit, with the cold weather having a “detrimental effect” on the number of UK residents travelling abroad. But there was little apparent effect on the average number of weekly hours worked while higher activity was recorded in “computer programming, consultancy and related activities”.

More recently, the Centre for Economics and Business Research suggested in a survey in 2015 that a drop of one degree in the minimum average temperature could cost the UK economy £2.5 billion due to lower output among businesses and lost productivity caused by transport delays and people not making it to work. It calculated that periods of extreme cold weather were believed to have lowered economic growth in the UK between 2005 and 2015 by a total of 0.6 percentage points. By way of comparison, the ONS calculates the UK economy grew by 1.7 per cent between 2016 and 2017.

The impact of severe weather on Scotland’s economy could be much more severe this time around. Growth in the third quarter of 2017 was just 0.2 per cent – half the UK rate over the same period. In his latest State of the Economy Report, chief economist Gary Gillespie cited a range of independent forecasts for 2018 of between 0.7 per cent and 1.4 per cent – not great, and looking even more problematic now.

Before the Beast from the East set in, there were some tentative signs of improvement. According to the Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking’s Business Barometer, economic optimism in Scotland rose to 33 per cent in February (up 20 points from 13 per cent the previous month), while companies reported higher confidence in their business prospects at 37 per cent. And a net balance of 27 per cent of businesses in Scotland said they expected to hire more staff, up 23 points on last month.

However, looking at the snow-blasted roads and deserted townscapes across much of Scotland in the past week, it is almost certain that first quarter performance will have taken a hit. How much of a hit we will not know for some months as quarterly data on Scotland’s GDP performance notoriously lags UK data for the same period. Hopefully by that time, last week’s Big Freeze will be no more than a nasty memory. “Digital” businesses centred on the internet will have been only lightly affected, while travel and tourism should have recovered, with Scotland continuing to benefit from the competitive advantages of a weaker exchange rate.

However, headwinds persist in construction. The latest February Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) showed construction activity only growing slightly after stagnating in January, and with a modest drop in orders. In the final three months of the year, construction output contracted 0.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter – the third successive quarterly decline. The survey found manufacturing activity at an eight-month low, fuelling concerns that the economy had lost some momentum even before the Big Freeze. First quarter growth, says EY economist Howard Archer, could struggle to match the 0.4 per cent rate seen in the fourth quarter of last year.

And a key determinant of performance will be consumer spending. Even assuming there is an immediate catch-up in shopping trips over the next few weeks, the outlook is hardly buoyant. Last year consumer spending growth slowed from 2.9 per cent in 2016 to 1.4 per cent. Fragile household confidence, weaker growth in numbers employed and the likelihood of higher interest rates will continue to bear down on household budgets.

Set against this is the prospect of falling inflation, a recovery in pay growth – and a UK Chancellor, helped by better-than-expected figures on the public finances, in a position to step up public spending. However, a report from the EY Item Club due tomorrow is expected to predict little improvement in consumer spending this year, and a subdued recovery from 2019.

Scotland’s huge snowfall could put a £500m dent in the economy, experts fear.

Large parts of the country are still struggling to recover from four days of major disruption which is expected to continue into this week.

Transport networks have been paralysed, while the widespread closure of schools since Wednesday has forced thousands of workers to take time off.

Ministers yesterday triggered the Bellwin scheme to offer councils extra emergency help to deal with the extreme conditions.

Inverness-based economist Tony Mackay said that if output has halved since the snowfall began on Tuesday night, it could cost the Scottish economy nearly £200m a day.

He told Scotland on Sunday: “There has undoubtedly been a negative impact because some businesses have had to close and many people have not been able to travel to work.

“Total Scottish economic output [GDP] in 2017 was approximately £138bn, which is equivalent to about £377 million a day.

“If the bad weather caused a 20 per cent reduction in output, that is equivalent to about £75 million a day. Three days of bad weather is about £225 million.

“If you assume a 50 per cent fall in output, the daily loss will have been about £189 million and three days about £565 million.”

Economist John McLaren, of the Scottish Trends website, said: “An impact of somewhere between 20-50 per cent seems about right. A range of somewhere between £300-700m is reasonable.”

He said shops, hotels and restaurants were among those likely to have been most affected, along with transport operators and the construction industry.

He added: “The Scottish impact is likely to be greater than for the UK due to the more extreme weather and longer timescale.”

Diane Wehrle, insights director of retail analysts Springboard, said: “The severe weather has taken a huge toll on footfall in retail destinations in Scotland, with a drop of around 30 per cent between Monday and Thursday compared with the same days last year, and as much as 59 per cent on Thursday.”

Sebastian Burnside, senior economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Customers cancelling and postponing trips out are unlikely to hit the shops, bars and hotels any harder once the thaw sets in, so this is demand that’s lost forever in many cases.”

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick said: “Smaller operations, particularly in the hospitality sector, may never recuperate the shortfall. There is also the impact of disruption on big events which are difficult to reschedule, like concerts in the SSE Hydro.”

The Federation of Small Businesses Scotland urged bigger firms to help those struggling in these conditions.

Spokesman Stuart Mackinnon said: “Big business should give its supply chains some flexibility to avoid any firms being faced with going over the edge because of the extreme circumstances.

“In many town centres, any businesses relying on passing trade will not have had a good week. Café customers are not going to order five cups of coffee when they return.

“There has not been a lot of construction activity either and I don’t think that will get started for some time.

“Schools being closed will have had a huge impact on the wider workforce as parents have to take time off work.”

Charities have also been hit, with Marie Curie fearing it has lost £25,000 because of cancelled collections at the launch of its Great Daffodil Appeal on Thursday.

However, Howard Archer, chief economic advisor to the EY ITEM Club, warned against being overly pessimistic – despite predicting the UK’s GDP could fall by up to 0.2 per cent if the severe weather persists.

He said: “There will obviously be a significant hit to economic activity from disruption resulting from the severe weather.

“However, we are wary of putting a hard figure on the total cost to the economy and it is also important to bear in mind much of the lost activity will eventually be recouped.

“The increased ability of workers to work from home limits the hit to the economy, as does shopping online.”

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said all local authorities could apply for financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme after Scottish Borders Council requested it.

He said: “This support will help councils deal with any immediate and unforeseen costs resulting from the recent heavy snow falls and ongoing cold weather.

“Although we expect to have seen the worst of the severe weather, we’re aware there remains a flooding risk in some areas as the snow melts.”

Glasgow can boast the most buoyant housing market in Scotland and some of the quickest sales turnaround times in the UK, according to property experts.

The healthy state of the market has been put down to a series of property hot-spots and the continued “gentrification” of the east end of the city.

Glasgow is said to be seeing consistently strong demand, despite the squeeze on household budgets and the prospect of further monetary tightening, with buyers prepared to pay prices “significantly above” Home Report valuations.

Releasing new figures, estate agency Walker Wylie said it had seen a 37 per cent rise in sales in 2017. Its average sales time of 23 days – around a third of the national average – also suggests that Glasgow is among the fastest property markets in the UK.

The area of highest growth for the firm has been the east end of the city where sales grew by 65 per cent in the 12 months to February.

Other high-performing areas included the southside, where sales leapt 58 per cent, and the west end where the firm recorded a 41 per cent hike in property sales. A more modest rise of 20 per cent was seen in East Dunbartonshire, with East Renfrewshire up 15 per cent.

Bosses at the agency, which was founded by two former directors of Clyde Property, said the market had failed to be derailed by Brexit uncertainty while the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) had not impacted on sales figures. LBTT has been blamed by many in the industry for a slump in transactions at the upper end of the market, particularly in Edinburgh.

Co-director Stuart Wylie said: “What we are seeing is the Glasgow market out-performing the rest of Scotland and, indeed, much of the UK.

“While parts of Edinburgh continue to hold-up, that can’t be said for the city as a whole but, across the M8, it’s a different story.

“We have seen people prepared to pay prices significantly above the Home Report value for houses, particularly in the west end and the southside.

“The gentrification of the east end has continued with higher prices being paid for upgraded tenement flats and even town houses in areas like Dennistoun.”

The firm, which brands itself as a “hybrid estate agency”, expects the growth in sales to continue.

Fellow director Barry Walker said: “Where you have demand outstripping supply, some buyers will invariably pay more to secure the limited number of properties available. It’s a recipe for a distorted market which isn’t always healthy but we’re some way short of a bubble, as things stand.”

Plans have been submitted for a residential and commercial development in Leith in a sign of renewed confidence in Edinburgh’s waterfront area.

Developer S1 Developments plans to bring a “new lease of life” to the Ocean Drive area of Leith. Its latest scheme, dubbed “Skyliner”, is set to feature 237 properties, including 54 affordable homes.

The proposed development would see four separate “landmark” buildings of seven to 13 storeys with panoramic views back to the city and out over the Firth of Forth.

Dan Teague, who runs S1 Developments alongside his brother Shane, said: “We are really excited to bring forward such a uniquely located project.

“The views are breathtaking and the development will be truly special.”

Nick Watson, director at Edinburgh-based Rettie & Co which will be marketing the properties, said demand for the new homes was expected to be “extremely high”.

A Scottish craft brewer that specialises in gluten-free beers has boosted its production after securing its first major supermarket listing south of the Border.

Bellfield Brewery’s award-winning products will now be available in 54 Morrisons stores, from Maidstone to Plymouth and Peckham to Carlisle, as well as online via the supermarket giant’s website.

The Edinburgh-based brewer, which was set up in 2015 by a team including two coeliacs, said it had increased its production “significantly” as a result of the deal, the value of which has not been disclosed.

Bellfield brewer and business development manager, Kieran Middleton, said: “As a young company we are so proud to have this opportunity to supply one of the UK’s leading retailers.

“We set out to create ‘craft beer for all” great tasting beers, that everyone can enjoy. We’re chuffed to be bringing them to a wider audience thanks to our listing with Morrisons.”

The firm has won several major awards for its gluten-free beers, even up against traditional gluten-containing brews. Over the past year, it has picked up two country awards in the World Beer Awards and its IPA has been ranked as among the top ten ales of its kind in the UK.

Made in small batches, using traditional methods and natural ingredients, the beers promise “taste without the bloat”. They are certified by Coeliac UK and registered with the Vegan Society.

Bellfield now supplies both the on- and off-trade and has UK wide coverage from all the major distributors and wholesalers, including Bidfood, Matthew Clark, Pigs Ear, Amathus, Inverarity Morton, Pivovar and a number of online beer shops.

The capital brewer, which is supported by Scottish Enterprise as an account managed business, has also started supplying its beer in kegs due to demand from the on-trade and aims to start exporting more extensively this year.

Late last year, Bellfield became what was thought to the first UK brewery to launch voice activated shopping and stockist information via Amazon’s voice activated digital assistant, Alexa.

Oscar nominees including Gary Oldman, Meryl Streep and Margot Robbie were set to receive gift bags containing vouchers for a 12-night trip to Tanzania and a trip to Hawaii.

Beauty products and holistic pet food are among the other goodies received by some of Hollywood’s biggest names as they took to the red carpet overnight for the entertainment industry’s biggest event of the year.

The Everyone Wins swag bag will be given to all nominees in the best actor and actress categories.

Those in the running for best supporting actor and actress, as well as best director nominees, also receive the handouts.

Included in the lavish collection will be diverse items including personal training sessions, make-up, a trip to Greece, candles, an edible jewellery box, a cook book, under-arm sweat patches, weight loss supplements and a diamond necklace.

The gifts, worth more than US$100,000 (£72,500) are compiled and distributed by company Distinctive Assets, which also hands out gifts at the Grammys.

They are not formally affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and are gifted to the nominees ahead of the ceremony.

Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, said: “A great gift has nothing to do with the retail value. For years we have been breaking one of the cardinal rules of gift giving by disclosing the price tag.

“Instead we are trying to start a new tradition by simply celebrating the fun and festive nature of this legendary gift bag.

“At the end of the day, the movie industry is about allowing viewers to escape reality and enter a fantasy world.

“We hope we also do that in some small way for these hard-working nominees who have given us this year’s best performances – helping them relax, indulge and even give back after one of the most intensely hectic weeks of their lives.”

Trade minister Baroness Fairhead has meanwhile said film and television exports from the UK are going from “strength to strength”.

British films such as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Darkest Hour and Dunkirk were vying for best picture at this year’s Oscars.

The winners were due to be announced in the early hours of this morning. The industry is worth £5.5 billion, with the US making up 47 per cent of the market for British film exports, according to the Department for International Trade.

Baroness Fairhead, who is the former chairwoman of the BBC Trust, said: “UK film and TV exports continue to go from strength to strength because we consistently produce and nurture top class creative talent.”

The Glasgow Film Festival has to come to an end with the story of four Scots who defied Pinochet.

Nae Pasaran tells the true story of East Kilbride Rolls Royce factory workers who managed to ground half of Chile’s Air Force with the longest single act of solidarity against the dictatorship.

More than 40 years later their story has been taken to the big screen by director Felipe Bustos Sierra and became the feature film for the closing gala of the festival.

Stuart Barrie, who was one of the men who made the stand against the dictatorship, said: “Not for a minute did it ever occur to me that it would come to this when we took that action.

“It was an act of humanity, really - we knew civilians were getting bombed by their own military.

READ MORE: Glasgow Film Festival review: Isle of Dogs

“We knew there was torture, we knew there was murder, so when we found out they needed these engines we decided to take action.”

General Augusto Pinochet’s coup in 1973 and the dictatorship which followed claimed thousands of lives, with many still disappeared and hundreds of thousands were sent into exile.

READ MORE: Glasgow Film Festival review: The Party’s Just Beginning

The Hawker Hunter was one of Britain’s most exported military aircrafts, with over 20 Air Forces flying them - including Chile’s - with all of them powered the Rolls-Royce Avon.

By the 1970s, all these engines were repaired in the same factory in East Kilbride.

With nowhere else to go for maintenance, the workers’ action was believed it could have a big impact on air force’s capability.

Robert Somerville, John Keenan, Bob Fulton and Mr Barrie were all on the red carpet on Sunday to see the story of their four-year boycott on screen.

READ MORE: Karen Gillan film starts conversation about Highland suicides

Mr Sierra added: “I heard of this story when I was a kid, my father was in exile from the Chilean dictatorship.

“The story of Nae Pasaran was one of the stories being told at the time to boost morale.

“When I came to Scotland a few years ago I started looking more into it.”

Energy companies will soon be banned from back billing customers for gas and electricity used more than 12 months ago.

Ofgem said correct billing was an essential part of customer service and large catch-up bills could leave consumers struggling financially or even in debt to their supplier.

The average back bill was £1,160 last year.

Customers have received bills in excess of £10,000 in extreme cases, according to Citizens Advice.

Back bills can result from problems with a supplier’s billing system or from suppliers estimating bills until they use an actual meter reading, which may show that the customer’s consumption was higher than expected.

Many suppliers are part of a voluntary agreement not to back bill customers past 12 months, but this does not include all companies and those that have signed up do not always stick to it, Ofgem said.

The ban will not apply to customers who actively prevent suppliers from taking or receiving accurate meter readings.

But consumers will not be at fault for failing to provide meter readings,and Ofgem said suppliers would need to assess consumer behaviour on a case-by-case basis.

The new rule will come into effect at the start of May for domestic consumers and in November for micro-businesses.

Rob Salter-Church, Ofgem’s interim senior partner for consumers and competition, said: “Getting billing right is an essential part of customer service and it’s unfair that consumers should be left out of pocket when, through no fault of their own, they’re issued with a shock bill from their supplier.

“So we’re taking action and banning suppliers from issuing back bills beyond 12 months where it’s not the customer’s fault.

“This sends a strong message to suppliers to improve the accuracy of the bills they send to their customers.”

Lawrence Slade, chief executive of Energy UK, said: “Energy companies take accurate billing very seriously and where there are problems, the majority are resolved within 24 hours. “Suppliers are actively working to improve billing for their customers. That is why companies covering 80 per cent of the market have signed up to the Energy UK Billing Code to ensure greater accuracy of bills. Audit results of the code show year-on-year improvement and complaint numbers are falling.”

Aid charities will today be told to take action to restore trust and improve standards following the sex scandal which engulfed the sector.

Ahead of a London summit, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and the Charity Commission told charities, regulatory bodies and experts that it was a “crucial moment” and “now is the time for action”.

Ms Mordaunt has also tasked delegates to come up with measures to ensure whistleblowers and survivors of exploitation or abuse are given counselling and support, the creation of an independent body to ensure standards and scrutiny, and new standards of vetting and referencing.

Attendees must also set out how they will change culture to tackle power imbalances, encourage reporting of abuse, take allegations more seriously and hold people to 
account.

NGOs and charities in attendance will sign a joint statement setting out the key principles they will adhere to, and agree a set of practical actions to take forward in an effort to improve standards and restore trust in the sector.

Ms Mordaunt said ahead of the event: “Now is the time for action. The aid sector needs to ensure it is meeting its duty of care to the world’s most vulnerable people. It needs to be honest about past mistakes. It must do all it can to win back the trust of the British public.”

Charity Commission chairwoman Baroness Stowell said: “Not only have some aid workers abused the people they were sent to support, but by not exposing and responding to these serious failings properly at the time, charities have betrayed the public’s trust in what the word charity actually means. I am encouraged to see leaders of international aid agencies coming together at today’s summit.”

Hit sitcom Still Game is set to make a final appearance at the Hydro in Glasgow.

The BBC Scotland show’s creator Ford Kiernan revealed he and co-star Greg Hemphill had a “solid idea” for another live show at the vast arena.

Ahead of the eighth series starting this week, Kiernan also disclosed the and Hemphill are about to start writing a ninth, which he revealed would take priority over a new Hydro show.

Kiernan said the pair were keen to return to the 12,000-capacity venue despite the “huge undertaking” involved in putting the two previous live shows there.

He added that the adrenaline of performing night after night in front of thousands of Still Game fans had helped the cast overcome the physical demands of the live show.

Kiernan and Hemphill patched up a long-running dispute to reunite the cast of Craiglang for a 21-show run at the Hydro in 2014, which led to the BBC offering the show a TV comeback.

By the time the show was about to return to the nation’s screens Kiernan and Hemphill had lined up another live production, which was staged early last year.

A new series was announced by the BBC after the end of the last Still Game live show and was filmed last summer.

Due to be launched on Thursday it features a brand new undertaker character, played by Bruce Morton, whose appearance in Craiglang appears to spark the death of a much-loved character.

Kiernan and Hemphill have also secured a cameo appearance from former Scottish stand-up favourite Craig Ferguson.

Kiernan said: “A show at the Hydro is a huge undertaking. It’s an enormous amount of work - it’s a completely different medium and it’s not very often, if ever, that sitcoms play arenas.

“If we did another one it would be our third. We’ve talked from time to time about doing it. We do have a fairly solid idea for a show, but there is so much going on. We’re about to move on to start writing another series.

We’re not short of ideas. We’re built Craiglang as a whole world. We are thinking about it.

“It is the most wonderful experience ever playing in a venue of that size. It’s all to do with demand.

“If we did the Hydro again I think it would be the last.”

Kiernan said the prospect of Ferguson appearing in the same came after he and Hemphill had gone out 
to America to write the
 last Hydro show to try to avoid distractions in Glasgow.

Last month I bought a crystal ball from Amazon. Mounted on a small wooden plinth and beautifully clear, it gazes out from my desk – the perfect solution, I thought, to years of off-beam expert investment forecasting and dodgy boffin predictions that never came to pass.

Unfortunately, my crystal ball is not without flaws. First, it greatly magnifies everything closest to it – a common error of forecasting that tends to magnify the latest available trend and statistic. Second, it has no peripheral vision. Only objects directly in front are caught by its glass eye. It has no long range perspective. It cannot spot an approaching danger or opportunity – another common forecasting error. And third, for most of the time it remains blank – no interactive Q and A – and stays inscrutably clear, prompting those who gaze on it long enough to project their own prognostications. But is that not something that even the most rigorous analyst is apt to do?

My imperfect crystal ball does work to provoke thought. Yet what I need is something omni-focused and multi-visual, enabling me to see many perspectives in context and helping me to make sense of the restless kaleidoscope of markets and sectors.

The Scotsman does not run to such a wondrous globe. But it has put together some outstanding investment conferences over the years – and a cracker of a conference is coming up in just over two weeks.

Chaired by David Lee, it brings together an array of expertise and perspectives from a range of leading investment managers, helping us to see the further horizons and lifting our vision from the relentless daily preoccupation with Brexit and the latest tweets of Donald Trump.

What are the wider threats and opportunities for investors posed on the global landscape? Where are the upsides in Asian and developing country markets? What of opportunities closer to home? And how can we build and protect our nest-eggs for the longer term?

The conference is being held on Tuesday 20 March between 8.30am and 11 am at the Hilton Grosvenor (5-21 Grosvenor Street, close to Haymarket station), Edinburgh. Key speakers are Casper Rock, chief investment officer Cazenove Capital on the global outlook; Andrew Graham Head of Asia at Martin Currie on opportunities in the Far East; Margaret Lawson, UK investment director at SVM Asset Management on short and long-term prospects for UK markets; and Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell on Bouncing Along or Bubbling Dangerously? – Ten Metrics to Master Markets.

There will be a question and answer session with the panel. Tickets are £42.00 including VAT and refreshments. Full details are available on The Scotsman Conferences website, by email via conferences@scotsman.com, or by phone on 0131 311 7233. Given the widespread interest in this event, early booking is advised.

A MAJOR expansion of the Capital’s financial district is set to be given the go-ahead with approval of a £150 million hotel and office complex next to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

The development, on the western side of the West Approach Road, will include a four-star business hotel with up to 400 rooms and a catering academy and hotel training school intended to provide jobs and training for 200 young people.

Planners have recommended approval in principal for the proposals, and the developers hope for detailed permission in time to allow them to make a start on the scheme later this year, with completion due in 2020.

Part of the development will take place on top of an existing electricity substation and the B-listed facade of a three-storey Scottish Power office building in Dewar Place will be retained.

The project is being funded by Catalyst Capital and carried out by Duddingston House Properties, the developer behind the controversial plans to turn the old Royal High School into a luxury hotel.

The development, known as Exchange 2, is in line with a vision set out by EICC chief executive Marshall Dallas for a hotel complex and industry training school alongside the conference centre.

It involves three separate new buildings – the largest, closest to Dewar Place, has six levels and houses the 400-room hotel; next door, a building of around the same height which could be either another four-star hotel or offices; and at the east end of the site a six-storey office building.

The proposals are expected to create 440 direct and 360 indirect jobs on site.

The developers say the training element of the scheme means it is creating not just jobs but careers.

They say the jobs will pay at least the living wage, there will be no zero-hours contracts and the intention is to aim for 75 per cent local recruitment.

The catering academy will be run in conjunction with Queen Margaret University and the hotel training school with Edinburgh Napier University.

Catalyst Capital chairman Julian Newiss said: “We have worked very closely with the council to ensure that the original vision for the Exchange district can be fully realised. We have specifically designed the development to respond to the council’s desire for more high end hotels and offices, and a powerful vision for new tourism and training facilities to help people secure careers in the industry.

“The proposals will transform the approach to the city centre along the West Approach Road, creating a much more attractive gateway to the city centre. It will also bring £15m of new and improved public realm to the city’s West End, transforming facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.”

Theresa May has told Donald Trump of her “deep concern” at the president’s plan to introduce tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to the United States which have sparked fears of a trade war.

It comes after the Prime Minister’s de facto deputy, David Lidington, rebuked Mr Trump for threatening a trade battle with the European Union.

READ MORE: Trump’s steel tariff hike will have ‘significant impact’ on UK

Following a phone call between Mrs May and the president on Sunday, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister raised our deep concern at the President’s forthcoming announcement on steel and aluminium tariffs, noting that multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties’ interests.”

It marks the latest of the pair’s clashes, following disagreements over Mr Trump’s retweeting of anti-Muslim videos posted by the far-right group Britain First, and his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

In a further escalation, Mr Trump has said the US “will simply apply a TAX” on cars made in Europe if the EU retaliates against the trade penalties he is seeking on imports of steel and aluminium.

Mr Lidington told BBC One’s Sunday Politics programme: “I just think that the United States is not taking an advisable course in threatening a trade war.

“Trade wars don’t do anybody any good.”

Brussels is promising retaliation against American exports if Mr Trump follows through on his idea, which he is warning he will do next week.

But the president responded, saying on Twitter: “If the EU wants to further increase their already massive tariffs and barriers on US companies doing business there, we will simply apply a Tax on their Cars which freely pour into the US. They make it impossible for our cars (and more) to sell there. Big trade imbalance!”

READ MORE: Euan McColm: Leavers can taste their cake despite Theresa May’s truce

Mr Lidington suggested the American authorities could overrule any tariffs, as they did in the case of aircraft manufacturer Bombardier when Mr Trump’s administration threatened huge duties on its C-wing planes.

The minister said: “We’ll have to see what happens, I mean there was a lot of concerns recently about something comparable with regards aviation and the aircraft that were being produced in part by Bombardier in Belfast in Northern Ireland, and the American authorities at the end of the day struck that down, they said no that is not the way that we should be going.”

And he warned Mr Trump that Britain’s experience showed his plan would not work.

“We tried in Britain in the 60s and 70s protecting our car industry from competition,” Mr Lidington said.

“It actually didn’t work, it protected inefficiencies, we lost all our export markets because our competitors who were more competitive went out and gobbled those up from us, and the car industry had to go through a very, very painful restructuring to get to the success story it is now.”

READ MORE: Theresa May tells Sturgeon Brexit deal will strengthen UK

Mrs May and Mr Trump also discussed the war in Syria.

“They discussed Syria, and the appalling humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta,” the spokeswoman said.

“They agreed it was a humanitarian catastrophe, and that the overwhelming responsibility for the heart-breaking human suffering lay with the Syrian regime and Russia, as the regime’s main backer.

“They agreed that Russia and others with influence over the Syrian regime must act now to cease their campaign of violence and to protect civilians.”

MSPs are warning that salmon farming could cause “irrecoverable damage” to marine life in Scotland if urgent steps are not taken to address its impact on the environment.

In a damning new report commissioned as part of an inquiry into the issue, Holyrood’s environment, climate change and land reform committee concluded “the status quo is not an option”.

The report considers a range of problems facing the aquaculture sector, including pests and diseases, use of chemicals and medicines, waste, fish deaths, escapes and predator control.

Committee members are now calling for new independent research to be carried out, plus a “precautionary approach” when it comes to further expansion.

“Scotland is at a critical point in considering how salmon farming develops in a sustainable way in relation to the environment,” the report states.

It warns that aims to double production of farmed salmon in the next decade do not take into account the capacity of the environment to support that quantity of fish.

Committee convener Graeme Dey said: “The sector has ambitious expansion targets but the committee is concerned as to how these can be achieved in an environmentally sustainable way.

“The sector continues to grow and expand with little meaningful thought given to the impact this will have on the environment.

“In the committee’s view, if the current environmental impact issues are not addressed, the expansion will be unsustainable and may cause irrecoverable damage.”

Aquaculture began in Scotland in the 1970s and has been growing in recent years. The latest figures show the industry is worth £1.8 billion.

Salmon is Scotland’s biggest food export, with 163,000 tonnes – worth £765 million – produced in 2016. There are plans to up this to as much as 400,000 tonnes by 2030.

But the committee says growth has been taking place without a full understanding of the ecological impacts and with inadequate regulation, and has called for an urgent independent assessment of its sustainability in the future.

The report was published in advance of a wider inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland being undertaken by the rural economy committee.

Fish farmers have acknowledged there are challenges to overcome, particularly with regard to fish health and environmental management.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation said: “While the industry is ambitious to grow, we recognise that such growth must be sustainable for the long-term. Growth of farming systems must go hand in hand with environmental sustainability, and the Scottish salmon farming industry remains committed to finding solutions to ensure that it continues to provide employment and economic success for rural Scotland.”

The European Commission is preparing a “swift, firm and ... decisive” response to US threats of tariffs on steel and aluminium, a spokesman has said.

Commissioners are due to meet in Brussels on Wednesday to decide action to protect Europe’s interests, amid growing fears of a trade war.

Theresa May told Donald Trump in a phone call on Sunday of her “deep concern” at the president’s plans, restating her position that multilateral action” was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity.

But there was little indication on Monday of Mr Trump backing away from his protectionist stance, as he used an early-morning tweet to link steel and aluminium tariffs with his demands for renegotiation of the “bad” Nafta free trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

READ MORE: Trump’s steel tariff hike will have ‘significant impact’ on UK

And a White House account of Sunday’s phone call made no mention of Mrs May’s expression of concern, stating only that they discussed “President Trump’s efforts to ensure fair and reciprocal trade”.

The tweet followed the president’s claim last week that “when a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win”.

In a further escalation, Mr Trump has said the US “will simply apply a TAX” on cars made in Europe if the EU retaliates against the trade penalties he is seeking on imports of steel and aluminium.

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the issue would be dealt with by EU chiefs on Wednesday, when “commissioners will discuss our reaction, which will be swift, firm and proportionate, based along three main lines and fully compatible with WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules”.

READ MORE: Theresa May tells Donald Trump not to launch trade war

“When someone takes unilateral and unfair action that puts thousands of European jobs at risk we have to act,” said Mr Schinas at a Brussels press conference.

“And if the measures announced by the US president materialise in a way that affects European interests, we shall react ... in a decisive, but proportionate, and strictly WTO-compatible way.

“This is about Europe doing what it has to do to defend its interests. It is not about escalating anything.”

Downing Street said the UK Government would await precise details of the US plans on steel and aluminium tariffs before commenting further.

Mrs May’s official spokesman confirmed that, while the UK remains part of the European Union, any action would come as part of an EU-wide response.

Asked whether the UK was still hopeful of striking a US trade deal after Brexit in the light of Mr Trump’s apparent shift towards protectionism, the spokesman said: “Both the Prime Minister and President have been clear on the importance of reaching a post-Brexit bilateral trade deal.

READ MORE: UK’s steelmakers hit back at Trump tariff bombshell

“The US is our biggest partner, we invest £500 billion in each others’ economies and over four million Americans work in UK companies, so you would expect us to remain close partners and continue to work at the highest level to make the case for UK industry to the US government.”

He added: “The Prime Minister has been clear in a number of forums, including the G20, in making the case that multi-lateral action is the way forward.

“The UK is a leading advocate for free trade and open markets and the WTO and for a global economy that works for everyone.”

The country still only has one operational scheme (Lasalle’s at Forbes Place, just outside Aberdeen), but recent announcements have accelerated the pipeline supply in Scotland. Platform, which has about 600 BTR units under management south of the Border, has just announced its first foray into Scotland through the buying of a two-acre site in Glasgow’s Central Quay.

This scheme intends to deliver over 450 rental units, including a concierge, lounge and gym.

Also in Glasgow, Moda has applied for planning permission to develop their 433-unit Holland Park scheme in the city centre, swiftly after another planning application for a Get Living BTR scheme in the same city. Last year, an application was also submitted for a 345-unit BTR scheme on the old Candleriggs site in the city centre, with student housing, commercial property space and a hotel also proposed there.

In Edinburgh, there are significant proposed BTR schemes at Springside and India Quay and there is also a large scheme in the pipeline in Aberdeen at the former Broadford Works site close to the centre.

In Dundee, work is starting on the Studio Dundee scheme, where One Enterprise aims to deliver 117 BTR units, sitting alongside creative co-working space and a social hub. This innovative scheme aims to retain students and entrepreneurs within the city.

Also in Dundee, the VOX BTR scheme by Whiteburn, at the former Dundee Colleges site, has just received planning approval for 110 BTR units on the edge of the city centre. This mixed use development will also provide workspace, a new café, a gym, lounge, cinema, auditorium and extensive landscaped gardens for residents and workers.

All of this new activity has increased the total number of BTR units operational or in planning in Scotland to nearly 4,000, with around 1,800 units in Glasgow, 1,000 in Edinburgh, 900 in Aberdeen, and over 200 in Dundee.

Meanwhile, Rettie & Co has project managed the funding and delivery of another 138 units for Mid Market Rent (or MMR, essentially affordable BTR) on the latest phase of the Western Harbour scheme in north Edinburgh. Working on behalf of Forth Ports and with Hart Builders as contractors, this development will add to the 96 MMR units provided there last year and take the total long-term rental portfolio to 234 properties.

An important investment benchmark – gross rental yields – remain strong in the main Scottish cities compared to other cities down south, which is stimulating increased investor interest.

Average gross rental yields in Glasgow, for example, are now close to 6 per cent. Scotland also has lower entry prices for housing and its main cities have strong and growing demand for housing and continuing weak supply, attracting investors who see the clear market signals.

The new private rental sector tenancy reforms as well as wider political uncertainty issues have held back many investors from pushing into Scotland, but the more critical mass that the BTR sector builds up here, the more it will entice others into the market, particularly when the schemes prove themselves viable.

Proper management and planning can mitigate the risks, perceived or otherwise. Scotland also has BTR ‘offers’ that are not available down south such as a Rental Income Guarantee Scheme (RIGS), promoted by the Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust, and the exemption of Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) on Land & Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) on purchases of six or more units.

It’s an exciting time for Rettie & Co and others involved in creating a new housing tenure in Scotland. Given the chronic housing supply shortages in the housing market, it is these types of innovations that need to succeed.

Dr John Boyle, director, research & strategy, Rettie & Co

Almost three-quarters of women say they lack confidence at work on a regular basis, something happening across the board, regardless of industry sector or size of business, new research finds.

The two areas making most women nervous were ‘asking for a pay rise (43 per cent) and ‘standing in front of an audience to make a presentation or speech’ (40 per cent).

Other areas they found difficult were - networking (34 per cent), ‘being intimidated by my boss or other colleagues’ (27 per cent), ‘competing with work colleagues’ (20 per cent) and ‘chairing a meeting’ (19 per cent).

The survey 62 per cent of women who had taken a career break felt less confident on their return to work.

The online survey involved interviews with just over 300 women from a cross-section of sectors and company sizes, with a significant number of respondents (30 per cent) from large companies with more than 1000 employees.

It was conducted to mark the launch of My Confidence Matters, a new service aimed at boosting women’s confidence at work and help them overcome barriers, the brainchild of business women Joy Burnford and Sophie Edmond.

The research also showed 57 per cent of women said being part of a community of like-minded women would help to boost their confidence.

As part of the launch, My Confidence Matters is inviting business women to join an online community to bring women in business together.

Ms Edmond said: “The news is filled with shocking stories of women being underpaid and underappreciated in the workplace.

“One of the barriers we find is that women lack confidence in the workplace and I strongly believe this holds many of us back.

“We’re launching our online community in the hope we can help thousands of women gain the confidence needed to progress in their careers.”

Dr Geraldine Perriam, honorary research associate at the university’s school of geography and earth sciences, who analysed the data, said: “It is not, and should not be, a given that women experience low levels of confidence due to their gender.

“Masculinist ‘norms’ weighted towards specific, established types of organisational structure and demands on employees have been demonstrated to undermine women’s self-confidence.

READ MORE: Gender pay gap: More than 500 firms reveal their figures

Ms Perriam added: “One of the important ‘take home’ messages of the data gathered is that the women are motivated to improve self-confidence through training and networking.

“Building a community-network and skills development are priorities for the respondents. It is to be hoped that opting into these two pathways will lead to a more confident and collegial workforce of women in the future.”

In addition to the online community, My Confidence Matters is offering both individuals and organisations a series of online courses and in-person masterclasses.

The UK’s gender pay gap for full-time workers is at its lowest since records began 20 years ago .

However, Office for National Statistics figures, published last year, showed the gap between the sexes, based on median hourly earnings was 9.1 per cent. In 1997 it was 17.4 per cent.