Annual Report and Accounts 2009

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

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27 GUARANTEES AND OTHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS

A) CAPITAL COMMITMENTS


B) LEASE COMMITMENTS

The Group leases a number of its premises under operating leases which expire between 2010 and 2049.

The rentals payable are subject to renegotiation at various dates. The total future minimum lease rentals under the foregoing leases are as follows:

The Group also leases certain items of plant and machinery whose total future minimum lease rentals under the foregoing leases are as follows:


C) PENSION SCHEMES

The Group operates a number of pension schemes, five (2008: five) of which provide defined benefits based on final pensionable salary. Of these schemes, one (2008: one) has assets held in a separate trustee administered fund and four (2008: four) are overseas book reserved schemes. The Group also operates a number of defined contribution schemes all of which are independently managed.

DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME VALUATIONS

In accordance with the amendment to IAS 19 “Employee Benefits” which was issued on 16 December 2004, the Group has elected to recognise all actuarial gains and losses in full in the period in which they arise in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income.

The actuarial valuations of the defined benefits pension schemes are assessed by an independent actuary every three years who recommends the rate of contribution payable each year.

The last formal actuarial valuation of the SIG plc Retirement Benefits Plan, the UK scheme, was conducted at 31 December 2007 and showed that the market value of the scheme’s assets were £75.0m and their actuarial value covered 83% of the benefits accrued to members after allowing for expected future increases in pensionable salaries.

The other four schemes are book reserved schemes whereby the sponsoring company does not hold any separate assets to fund the pension scheme but makes a reserve in its Accounts. Therefore, these schemes do not hold separate scheme assets. The liabilities of the schemes are met by the sponsoring companies.

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT CHARGES

The pension charge for the year relating to the defined benefit pension schemes was £2.9m (2008: £1.7m). In accordance with IAS 19 “Employee Benefits”, the charge for the defined benefit schemes has been calculated as the sum of the cost of benefits accruing in the year, the increase in the value of benefits already accrued and the expected return on assets.

The actuarial valuations described previously have been updated at 31 December 2009 by a qualified actuary using revised assumptions that are consistent with the requirements of IAS 19. Investments have been valued, for this purpose, at fair value.

The UK defined benefit scheme is closed to new members, has an age profile that is rising and therefore under the projected unit method the current service cost will increase as the members of the scheme approach retirement. The four overseas book reserved schemes remain open to new members.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET LIABILITY

The balance sheet position in respect of the five defined benefit schemes can be summarised as follows:

The actuarial loss of £4.7m (2008: £10.6m) for the year, together with the associated deferred tax credit of £1.3m (2008: £3.0m), has been recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income. The remaining deferred tax credit of £0.1m (2008: debit of £2.5m) has been recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement.

The cumulative actuarial gains and losses, gross of deferred tax (from 2004 onwards) recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income amounted to a loss of £16.4m (2008: £11.7m).

Of the above pension liability before taxation, £19.0m (2008: £14.2m) relates to wholly or partly funded schemes and £5.0m (2008: £4.9m) relates to unfunded schemes.

The movement in the pension liability before taxation in the year can be summarised as follows:


SCHEMES’ DISCLOSURE

The principal assumptions used for the IAS 19 actuarial valuation of the schemes were:

Deferred pensions are revalued to retirement in line with the schemes’ rules and statutory requirements, with the inflation assumption used for LPI revaluation in deferment.

The life expectancy for a male employee beyond the normal retirement age of 60 is 28.5 years (2008: 28.5 years).

If the discount rate was to be increased/decreased by 0.25%, this would decrease/increase the Group’s gross pension scheme deficit by £5.25m.

The fair value of the assets in the schemes, the present value of the liabilities in the schemes and the expected rate of return at each balance sheet date were:

The overall expected rate of return is based upon market conditions at the balance sheet date.

Analysis of the amount charged to operating profit under IAS 19 in relation to the schemes:

Analysis of the amount credited/(charged) to net finance costs under IAS 19 in relation to the schemes:

The actual gain on scheme assets was £12.2m (2008: loss of £10.0m).

Analysis of the actuarial loss recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income in respect of the schemes:

Movements in the present value of the schemes’ liabilities were as follows:

Movements in the fair value of the schemes’ assets were as follows:

History of experience of gains and losses:


D) CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

As at the balance sheet date, the Group had outstanding obligations under customer guarantees, claims, standby letters of credit and discounted bills of up to £12.0m (2008: £9.4m). Of this amount, £10.6m (2008: £7.8m) related to standby letters of credit, issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, in respect of the Group’s insurance arrangements.

In addition, there is a possible risk that when SIG acquires certain companies that include employee Shareholders, the capital gain made by these Shareholders could be reclassified as an income tax liability. This could give rise to a social security cost for the Group of up to £10m.

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