Those concerns were echoed by the Scottish Conservatives' Gavin Brown who said the uncertainty over the rate was particularly a worry for the commercial property sector.

BBC: MSPs debate changes to stamp duty on Scots properties

The Intellectual Property Bill aims to make it easier for businesses to protect their intellectual property, particularly their designs, with the introduction of a Unified Patent Court that most EU countries have signed up to.

BBC: Finance

The most worrisome signs come from areas where credit for property investment has been particularly easy to get.

ECONOMIST: Property markets: High rise, with a hint of vertigo | The