Statement of directors’ responsibilities

Company law requires the directors to prepare accounts for each financial year. Under company law the directors must not approve the accounts unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and the Company and of the profit or loss of the Group for that period. In preparing these accounts, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
• state whether the consolidated accounts comply with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), and the Parent Company accounts comply with applicable UK Accounting Standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the accounts;
• prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group and the Company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Group and the Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Group and the Company and enable them to ensure that the accounts and the Directors’ remuneration report comply with the Companies Act 2006 and, as regards the Group financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In accordance with the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the UK Listing Authority, each of the directors (who are listed in the Group directors’ report) confirms that to the best of his or her knowledge:

• the Group’s financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS and give a true and fair view of the Group’s assets, liabilities and financial position as at 31 July 2011 and of its profit for the financial year then ended; and
• the Group directors’ report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that the Group faces.

27 September 2011