Goodwill is the difference between amounts paid on the acquisition of a business and the fair value of the separable net assets. It is amortised to profit and loss account over its estimated economic life of 10 years.

Other intangible assets includ various licences and website development costs. They are amortised to profit and loss account over its estimated economic life of 10 years.

Tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of the fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:

Assets held under finance leases which are leases where substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of the asset have passed to the company, and hire purchase contracts are capitalised in the balance sheet. They are depreciated over the shorter of their useful lives or the term of the lease.

Stocks and work in progress are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value after making due allowance for obsolete and slow-moving stocks. Cost includes all direct costs and an appropriate proportion of fixed and variable overheads. Work-in-progress is reflected in the accounts on a contract by contract basis by recording turnover and related costs as contract activity progresses.