Highlighting the plight of asylum seekers has landed The Times Scotland reporter Marc Horne a major accolade.

The Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards 2016 were held in Glasgow by the Scottish Refugee Council, British Red Cross and National Union of Journalists.

Horne was victorious in the Print (News) category with his February 2016 story, Inquiry call over ‘callous treatment’ of refugees.

The story focused on private companies being paid millions of pounds of public money being accused of mistreating asylum seekers and housing them in sub-standard accommodation.

Acting Scotland Editor of The Times, Lindsay McIntosh, said: “This award is an extremely well-deserved recognition of Marc’s determined pursuit of a story which went on to dominate the news agenda in Scotland.

“His work triggered a commitment from the immigration minister to investigate the treatment of asylum seekers in Glasgow.”

The Sunday Times Money section deputy editor Ruth Emery retained a prestigious pensions prize last night (Wednesday).

Winners of the 11th annual Willis Towers Watson Media Awards were announced at a ceremony held in London. The awards celebrate excellence in business journalism in the areas of human resources, pensions, benefits and institutional investment.

Ruth was again victorious in the Pensions Journalist of the Year – national media category.

Fiona Matthews at Willis Towers Watson said: “Ruth had the judges gasping at the light and engaging way in which she tackles difficult and complex topics.

“Never dense or dull, the range of case studies displayed in her article on the State Pension Age articulated the contrasting fortunes of different women born in the 1950s in a way that no-one else quite managed to do.”