Statement of responsibility by the board of directors
for the year ended 31 March 2014

The company’s directors are required by the Companies Act to maintain adequate accounting records and to prepare financial statements for each financial year which fairly present the state of affairs of the company and the group at the end of the financial year and of the results of operations and cash flows for the year. In preparing the accompanying annual financial statements, International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) have been followed, suitable accounting policies have been used, applied consistently, and reasonable and prudent judgements and estimates have been made. Any changes to accounting policies are approved by the board of directors and the effects thereof are fully explained in the annual financial statements. The annual financial statements incorporate full and responsible disclosure.

The directors have reviewed the group’s budget and cash flow forecast for the year to 31 March 2015. On the basis of this review, and in light of the current financial position and existing borrowing facilities, the directors are satisfied that the group is a going concern and they have accordingly adopted the going-concern basis in preparing the annual financial statements. The group’s independent auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc., have audited the annual financial statements and their unqualified report appears here. PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. was given unrestricted access to all financial records and related data, including minutes of all meetings of shareholders, the board of directors and committees of the board. The directors believe that all representations made to the independent auditors during their audit are valid and appropriate.

The board recognises and acknowledges its responsibility for the group’s systems of internal financial control. The group’s policy on business conduct, which covers ethical behaviour, compliance with legislation and sound accounting practice, underpins its internal financial control process. The control systems include written accounting and control policies and procedures, clearly defined lines of accountability and delegation of authority, and comprehensive financial reporting and analysis against approved budgets. The responsibility for operating these systems is delegated to the directors who confirm that they have reviewed the effectiveness thereof.

The directors consider that the systems are appropriately designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that assets are safeguarded against material loss or unauthorised use and that transactions are properly authorised and recorded.

The effectiveness of the internal financial control systems is monitored through management reviews, detailed representation letters on compliance being signed by the Chief Executive and Financial Executive of each major entity, comprehensive reviews and testing by internal auditors, independent auditors’ reviews and testing of appropriate aspects of the internal financial control systems during the course of their statutory examinations of the company and the underlying subsidiaries.

Competence of the Company Secretary

The board of directors has also considered and satisfied itself of the appropriateness of the competence, qualifications and expertise of the Company Secretary, Mr Graham D Tyrrell. The board of directors confirms that Mr Tyrrell is not a director of the company, he reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and therefore he is considered to maintain an arm’s-length relationship with the board of directors.