Notes to the consolidated
financial statements

19. Called up share capital

  2010   2009
  Number £m   Number £m
Authorised:          
Ordinary shares of 113/7 US cents each 68,250,000,000 4,875   68,250,000,000 4,875
B shares of 15 pence each 38,563,935,574 5,784   38,563,935,574 5,784
Deferred shares of 15 pence each 28,036,064,426 4,206   28,036,064,426 4,206
           
Ordinary shares allotted, issued and fully paid:(1)  
1 April 57,806,283,716 4,153   58,255,055,725 4,182
Allotted during the year 2,963,016   51,227,991 3
Cancelled during the year   (500,000,000) (32)
31 March 57,809,246,732 4,153   57,806,283,716 4,153
           
B shares allotted, issued and fully paid:(2)  
1 April   87,429,138 13
Redeemed during the year   (87,429,138) (13)
31 March  
Notes:
(1)
At 31 March 2010 the Group held 5,146,112,159 (2009: 5,322,411,101) treasury shares with a nominal value of £370 million (2009: £382 million). The market value of shares held was £7,822 million (2009: £6,533 million). During the year 149,298,942 (2009: 41,146,589) treasury shares were reissued under Group share option schemes. The number of shares held by the Group as treasury shares, at 31 March 2010, has been adjusted down by 27 million which represents a number of shares that the Company previously reported as being purchased on the 10 September 2008, via Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (‘LBIE’), and held in treasury. As a result of LBIE being placed in administration on the 15 September 2008 the shares were not settled to the Company’s designated treasury account and are believed to be held in a proprietary account with the administrator. The Company has treated the transaction to buy back the shares as failed.
(2)
On 31 July 2006 the Company undertook a return of capital to shareholders via a B share scheme and associated share consolidation. A total of 66,271,035,240 B shares were issued on that day, and 66,271,035,240 existing ordinary shares of 10 US cents each were consolidated into 57,987,155,835 new ordinary shares of 113/7 US cents each. B shareholders were given the alternatives of initial redemption or future redemption at 15 pence per share or the payment of an initial dividend of 15 pence per share. The initial redemption took place on 4 August 2006 with future redemption dates on 5 February and 5 August each year until 5 August 2008 when the Company redeemed all B shares still in issue at their nominal value of 15 pence.

Allotted during the year

  Number Nominal
value
£m
Net
proceeds
£m
UK share awards and option scheme awards 1,612,486 1
US share awards and option scheme awards 1,350,530 2
Total for share awards and option scheme awards 2,963,016 3

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