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The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has announced an 11 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £9.19 billion for 2006.

This is in comparison to the £7.93 billion earned in the preceding 12 months.

Overall income at the bank, which owns NatWest, was up to £28 billion last year, a rise of ten per cent.

RBS' healthy profits follow a week of similar announcements by Britain's largest banking groups.

Yesterday HBOS announced an above expectations rise in full-year earnings of 19 per cent to £5.71 billion.

And last week Lloyds TSB said its pre-tax profits for 2006 were up 11 per cent to £4.25 billion.

But Barclays proved the pick of the bunch by revealing record earnings of £7.14 billion, a rise of 35 per cent on 2005.

On today's RBS results, the group's chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin said the bank had actively managed the "trade-off between sustainable growth, risk and return".

"Our 2006 results provide clear evidence of the success of this approach. We have delivered strong organic earnings growth and improved returns on equity, notwithstanding the adverse industry and market-wide pressures facing some of our major businesses," he said.

"Today's excellent results and increased dividend demonstrate the strength of RBS. We are expanding our reach and making progress in all the major economies we operate in. We face the future confidently, with momentum and a proven strategy for success."