Here are the top business stories making the headlines across the North-east and nationally today.
Finance Secretary accused of 'abandoning' north-east firms
Kate Forbes is being accused of "abandoning" north-east businesses in their greatest time of need, as some are still waiting on financial support promised before Christmas.
The Press and Journal says Tess White, Conservative MSP for the north-east, wrote to the Scottish Government over concerns about payment delays to businesses impacted by the cancellation of festive bookings.
The Finance Secretary replied to Ms White and said the government is trying to get the funding out to businesses "as soon as possible", but there is not enough money to go round everyone.
Ms White says the cabinet secretary's response is "shameful", and has left businesses on the brink of collapse.
She said: "It's appalling that more than six weeks after the imposition of more Covid restrictions, businesses across the north-east are still waiting for the support the SNP promised."
Loans to help with energy bills
Boris Johnson is poised to announce billions of pounds in state-backed loans to reduce the impact of soaring energy prices on household bills.
The Times says that the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, have agreed to a "rebate and clawback" scheme, in which taxpayers will underwrite loans to energy firms.
Companies will pass the money on to every household in Britain in the form of a rebate on energy bills, limiting the impact of price rises in April.
The firms will recoup the money from consumers in subsequent years to pay back the loans as energy prices fall.
Government sources said the plans had been approved by ministers and would be announced in the coming days, possibly on Thursday.
Deadline missed for self-assessment tax return
More than two million people missed a self-assessment tax return deadline, but still have a month to file before they are hit with a penalty.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said that 630,000 completed the online process on Monday, the final day before the cut-off, leaving 2.3million still to file.
However, the BBC says that the tax authority will not fine those who are up to a month late.
Interest will start to be accumulated from now on any unpaid tax, so HMRC is urging people to get organised quickly.
Over 12million people, including the self-employed and those with more than one source of income, are required to complete self-assessment forms.
For the second consecutive year, the normal £100 fine for filing late online will be waived by HMRC until the end of February, given some people have been delayed by Covid-19.
Anger at go-ahead for North Sea field
Climate campaigners have questioned the decision to green light a North Sea field that they claim will provide "little to no benefit" to the UK.
Uplift has described Ithaca Energy's Abigail as a "tiny" project that will only produce enough gas to meet UK demand for around a day and a half.
Energy Voice reports that the field, located around 145 miles off Peterhead, is targeting up to 8.3million barrels of oil equivalent.
Industry regulator the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) last month approved the development, a subsea tieback to the FPF-1 floating production facility.
An OGA spokesman said: "Our analysis shows that Abigail will be economic and won't change the UK's position as a net importer of oil and gas.The OGA will continuously hold the operator to account on emissions reductions as part of our stewardship."
Uplift, however, claims that Abigail is in conflict with efforts to mitigate climate change, citing a report released by the International Energy Agency last year that said there could be no new oil and gas developments if global temperature rise is to be limited to within 1.5C.
Campaigners want future North Sea licensing rounds stopped and funds diverted towards renewables.