Directors’ responsibility statement pursuant to DTR 4
The directors confirm that, to the best of each person’s knowledge:
(a) the Group and Parent Company financial statements in this report, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU, IFRIC interpretation and those parts of the Companies Act 1985 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Company and of the Group taken as a whole; and
(b) the management report contained in this report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company and the Group taken as a whole, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.
Corporate governance
Information on corporate governance is set out in the Corporate governance statements which form part of this Directors’ report.
Employee involvement
Information on employee involvement is set out within the corporate responsibility report and forms part of this Directors’ report.
Diversity and inclusion
Information on the Company’s policy on equal opportunities for disabled employees is set out within the corporate responsibility report and forms part of this Directors’ report.
Charitable donations
Information on charitable donations is set out within the corporate responsibility report and forms part of this Directors’ report.
Political donations
At the annual general meeting in 2006, shareholders passed a resolution to authorise the making of political donations and the incurring of political expenditure for the purposes of section 347C of the Companies Act 1985 for a period of four years. As from October 1, 2007, the provisions of the Companies Act 1985 relating to political donations and expenditure were repealed and replaced by provisions of the Companies Act 2006. The resolution passed at the annual general meeting in 2006 is treated, by virtue of applicable transitional provisions, as complying with the requirements of section 367 of the Companies Act 2006 (notwithstanding that it does not comply with the requirements of that section as to the heads under which donations and expenditure are to be stated). A new resolution will, however, be proposed at the annual general meeting to be held on July 15, 2008 to authorise donations or expenditure under the heads specified in section 367(3) of the Companies Act 2006, for a further period of four years. This authorisation is being taken on a four-year basis as a precaution only and the directors have no present intention of using it. In the event that any political donation is made or political expenditure incurred, the Board would seek further shareholder approval.
The Board has repeatedly confirmed that it does not make political donations or incur political expenditure within the ordinary meaning of those words and that it has no intention of doing so. The amount of political donations made and political expenditure incurred in the period from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008 was £nil (2006/07: £nil).