A major probe by a law firm found no evidence that Ulster Bank put viable companies out of business in order to seize their assets.

A Royal Bank of Scotland executive has denied the bank profits from small business customers in financial distress.

The head of the Ulster Bank has warned of future branch closures in response to a huge ongoing shift towards on-line banking.

Small businesses from Bath to Bradford are having their lifeblood sucked out by “vampire” banking practices, the author of a report alleging unscrupulous behaviour by Royal Bank of Scotland has told British MPs.

More reasons emerged this week to suggest that the best banking inquiry would not be one examining what happened in the run-up to Sept 2008, but instead one into what has happened at the Irish banks since and continues to happen.

Royal Bank of Scotland has appointed law firm Clifford Chance to conduct an inquiry into the treatment received by small business customers in financial distress, responding to suggestions it closed down viable businesses too quickly.

Royal Bank of Scotland is facing allegations of “unscrupulous” treatment of small businesses in a report claiming the lender drove firms to collapse to buy back their assets at rock-bottom prices.