#RBS annual profits more than DOUBLE to £1.6BN as taxpayers net nearly £1BN ...

The country’s central bank, which is 62 percent owned by the government, will pay £977million to the Treasury through dividend payments. Full year pre-tax operating profits increased by half to £3.4billion. It marks RBS’ second year in the black following a decade-long run of crushing losses.

On Friday, the bank paid out a 3.5p final dividend and a 7.5p special dividend, meaning the total returned to shareholders in the year totals £1.6billion.