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The Company has in place shareholders’ authority to purchase 10,276,588 of its own shares. During the year the Company purchased 21,493 of its own shares (nominal value 3p) (2006: purchased 247,336) in relation to the Share Incentive Plan.

The share options of the Directors under the Executive share option scheme are set out below:
Director
1 Jan 2007 number
Exercised
number
31 Dec 2007 number
Exercise
price
Market value at date of exercise
Date from which exercisable
Expiry
date
Alan Hearne
57,024
57,024
–
72.7p
326.8p
22/02/2004
–
33,780
33,780
–
125.0p
326.8p
08/02/2003
–
33,780
33,780
–
125.0p
326.8p
08/02/2005
–
42,982
42,982
–
171.0p
326.8p
06/03/2004
–
42,982
42,982
–
171.0p
326.8p
06/03/2006
–
62,500
62,500
–
149.0p
326.8p
14/03/2005
–
62,500
62,500
–
149.0p
326.8p
14/03/2007
–
62,500
62,500
–
111.0p
326.8p
20/03/2006
–
62,500
–
62,500
111.0p
-
20/03/2008
20/03/2015
28,157
28,157
–
146.5p
326.8p
12/08/2006
–
28,157
–
28,157
146.5p
-
12/08/2008
12/08/2015
Peter Dowen
40,284
40,284
–
72.7p
326.8p
22/02/2004
–
23,862
23,862
–
125.0p
326.8p
08/02/2003
–
23,862
23,862
–
125.0p
326.8p
08/02/2005
–
20,285
20,285
–
171.0p
326.8p
06/03/2004
–
20,285
20,285
–
171.0p
326.8p
06/03/2006
–
32,500
32,500
–
149.0p
326.8p
14/03/2005
–
32,500
32,500
–
149.0p
326.8p
14/03/2007
–
32,500
32,500
–
111.0p
326.8p
20/03/2006
–
32,500
–
32,500
111.0p
-
20/03/2008
20/03/2015
15,051
15,051
–
146.5p
326.8p
12/08/2006
–
15,051
–
15,051
146.5p
-
12/08/2008
12/08/2015
Andrew Troup
40,284
40,284
–
72.7p
326.8p
22/02/2004
–
23,862
23,862
–
125.0p
326.8p
08/02/2003
–
23,862
23,862
–
125.0p
326.8p
08/02/2005
–
24,123
–
24,123
171.0p
–
06/03/2004
06/03/2011
24,123
–
24,123
171.0p
–
06/03/2006
06/03/2011
35,000
–
35,000
149.0p
–
14/03/2005
14/03/2012
35,000
–
35,000
149.0p
–
14/03/2007
14/03/2014
35,000
–
35,000
111.0p
–
20/03/2006
20/03/2013
35,000
–
35,000
111.0p
–
20/03/2008
20/03/2015
14,437
–
14,437
146.5p
–
12/08/2006
12/08/2013
14,437
–
14,437
146.5p
–
12/08/2008
12/08/2015