Firms in Scotland are concerned about potential increases in taxes on profits in the emergency budget planned for this month, a survey said on Monday.

The UK coalition government has announced £6.2billion in spending cuts so far to tackle the country's debt - with much deeper reductions to follow in a spending review later this year.

VAT is seen as the most likely candidate for a tax rise, with a potential increase in the rate from 17.5% to 20%.

But a total of 60 companies in Scotland said they were concerned proposals to hike capital gains tax to similar levels as income tax could have an "adverse impact" on on their business. A total of 67 said they were not concerned a hike would have an "adverse impact" and one business skipped the question.

Out of those questioned, 24 said they were "extremely concerned" the proposed change to capital gains tax would damage investor confidence and 29 said they were "extremely concerned" about the effect on capital available for small and medium businesses and start-ups.

The Scottish Chambers of Commerce, who questioned 128 businesses in the survey, said capital gains tax had historically been used as a tool by government to encourage and reward entrepreneurship.

In the survey 44% of firms said if VAT was to increase, a single rise from 17.5% to 20% would be the least harmful to their business.

A total of 57 said a single rise to 20% would be least harmful, 53 preferred a staged rise during a number of years and 18 said a staged increase during two years would be least harmful.

Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: "The prospect of a rise in the rate of capital gains tax (CGT) is clearly causing concern for many Scottish businesses, and the fact is that many are already taking action in anticipation of moves by the UK Government to substantially increase the rate of CGT.

"If even the prospect of a CGT rise is having such a material effect in terms of asset divestment, the effects of its ultimate implementation are likely to be onerous indeed."

A total of 47 businesses said a planned increase in employers' National Insurance contribution should be scrapped regardless of cost and 29 said the reduction in the increase should be funded through a different tax.

The UK government has already announced a reduction in next year's increase to the employers' National Insurance contribution.

Small businesses, who employed between one and nine full-time and part-time staff and, larger businesses, who employed more than 500 people in the UK, were questioned in the Tax Policy Snap Survey.

The emergency Budget is expected on June 22.