It represents 88 per cent of the total funds allocated by FTSE 100 companies for litigation resulting from tax disputes in 2015. The total spend by top companies of £1.66bn is a 31 per cent decrease from the colossal £2.39bn set aside in 2014, with the report attributing the change to a focus by UK authorities on corporate tax evasion. Raichel Hopkinson, Thomson Reuters head of practice law dispute resolution, said: ‘There has been political, media and public pressure on governments to investigate corporates that are considered not to be paying the right level of tax. No business wants to be made an example of, or to find itself explaining a costly settlement.’ Source: Financial Director