Notes to the consolidated
financial statements

24. Provisions

  Asset
retirement
obligations
£m
Other
provisions
£m
Total
£m
1 April 2008 208 454 662
Exchange movements 34 75 109
Amounts capitalised in the year 111 111
Amounts charged to the income statement 194 194
Utilised in the year − payments (4) (106) (110)
Amounts released to the income statement (72) (72)
Other 12 12
31 March 2009 361 545 906
Exchange movements (7) (6) (13)
Arising on acquisition 20 20
Amounts capitalised in the year 40 40
Amounts charged to the income statement 259 259
Utilised in the year − payments (3) (157) (160)
Amounts released to the income statement (37) (37)
Other (21) (21)
31 March 2010 370 624 994

Provisions have been analysed between current and non-current as follows:

  2010
£m
2009
£m
Current liabilities 497 373
Non-current liabilities 497 533
994 906

Asset retirement obligations

In the course of the Group’s activities, a number of sites and other assets are utilised which are expected to have costs associated with exiting and ceasing their use. The associated cash outflows are generally expected to occur at the dates of exit of the assets to which they relate, which are long-term in nature.

Other provisions

Included within other provisions are provisions for legal and regulatory disputes and amounts provided for property and restructuring costs. The Group is involved in a number of legal and other disputes, including notification of possible claims. The directors of the Company, after taking legal advice, have established provisions after taking into account the facts of each case. The timing of cash outflows associated with legal claims cannot be reasonably determined. For a discussion of certain legal issues potentially affecting the Group, refer to note 29. The associated cash outflows for restructuring costs are substantially short-term in nature. The timing of the cash flows associated with property is dependent upon the remaining term of the associated lease.

Back to top

Share This

button-close