Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
‘Little meaningful progress’ to fix Aberdeen ambulance queue crisis
The chief of the Scottish Ambulance Service says it is “disappointing” that “little meaningful progress” has been made to fix Aberdeen’s queues crisis.
Michael Dickson told the Press and Journal ambulance crews on the frontline in the north-east are demoralised by the current state of affairs.
Earlier this year it was revealed emergency vehicles were being forced to wait for up to four hours outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary before handing over patients.
Legal challenge to oil and gas fields begins
A legal challenge over the decision to give consent to the UK’s largest untapped oil field is set to begin.
A judicial review brought jointly by the environment groups Greenpeace and Uplift is due to be heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The campaigners want to stop the development of Rosebank oil field, which is off Shetland, and the Jackdaw gas field, off Aberdeen. But oil companies say the projects are vital.
If the challenge is successful, operators would have to resubmit environmental impact assessments for approval before drilling can begin.
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BMW sets aside £70m for possible car finance commission payouts
The mounting scandal over motor finance commissions has forced the British car loans division of BMW to set aside more than £70 million to cover the cost of potentially compensating customers.
The provision by the German car giant takes the total amount set aside by lenders bracing themselves for the fallout from the crisis to almost £680 million, according to analysis by The Times.
Most firms have yet to make provisions for the possible hit they may face and City analysts believe the industry’s final bill could total billions of pounds.
Fujitsu boss 'does not know' if Horizon is reliable
Fujitsu Europe's boss has admitted he "does not know" if the Post Office Horizon IT system at the heart of hundreds of sub-postmasters' wrongful convictions is reliable.
Paul Patterson told the inquiry into the scandal there "have been bugs errors and defects" in the accountancy system and it is clear "that there is a level of unreliability".
He agreed that this would be an issue for sub-postmasters currently using Horizon.
Direct Line to axe 550 jobs as part of £50m cost-cutting drive
Direct Line is to axe about 550 jobs as part of a cost-cutting drive at the insurance company.
The company said that it was consulting on the jobs, which would represent about 6% of its total 9,000-person workforce, as part of drive to save £50m next year. It would not give details on the roles that would go but said some would include vacancies not being filled.
The plans were revealed in an trading update on Monday, in which the company said the job losses would be part of its drive to create a “leaner and more efficient operating model”.
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