Exhibit
      7.1

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Calculation
      of ratio of earnings to fixed charges

|In accordance
          with UK GAAP                                       |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |  | ----- |  | ----- |  | ----- |  | ----- | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|For the
          year ended 31 March                                      | 2005  |  | 2004  |  | 2003  |  | 2002  |  | 2001  | 
|                                                                           | £m    |  | £m    |  | £m    |  | £m    |  | £m    | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Profit before
        tax before adjustment for minority interests in      | 360.9 |  | 334.4 |  | 323.9 |  | 304.9 |  | 271.8 | 
|consolidated subsidiaries
        or profits or losses from joint ventures |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Less:                                                                      |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Minority
        interests                                                 | 1.8   |  | 1.6   |  | 2.3   |  | 1.6   |  | —     | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           | 359.1 |  | 332.8 |  | 321.6 |  | 303.3 |  | 271.8 | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Fixed charges                                                              |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Interest
        expensed                                                  | 309.3 |  | 277.2 |  | 244.7 |  | 227.3 |  | 211.7 | 
|Amortised
        premiums, discounts and capitalised expenses             | 0.8   |  | 0.5   |  | 0.4   |  | 0.3   |  | 0.3   | 
|related
        to indebtedness                                            |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Interest
        portion in rental expense                                 | 6.2   |  | 5.3   |  | 4.2   |  | 3.9   |  | 2.9   | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           | 316.3 |  | 283.0 |  | 249.3 |  | 231.5 |  | 214.9 | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Total earnings
        available for payment of fixed charges              | 675.4 |  | 615.8 |  | 570.9 |  | 534.8 |  | 486.7 | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Ratio of earnings
        to fixed charges                                 | 2.1   |  | 2.2   |  | 2.3   |  | 2.3   |  | 2.3   | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|In accordance
          with US GAAP                                       |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|For the year ended
        31 March                                        | 2005  |  | 2004  |  | 2003  |  | 2002  |  | 2001  | 
|                                                                           | £m    |  | £m    |  | £m    |  | £m    |  | £m    | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Profit before
        tax before adjustment for minority interests in      | 341.8 |  | 401.5 |  | 499.1 |  | 171.1 |  | 264.7 | 
|consolidated subsidiaries
        or profits or losses from joint ventures |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Add:                                                                       |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Amortisation
        of capitalised interest                               | 13.5  |  | 11.4  |  | 10.5  |  | 9.4   |  | 8.4   | 
|Subtract                                                                   |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Capitalised
        interest                                               | 85.4  |  | 61.8  |  | 58.4  |  | 47.9  |  | 44.0  | 
|Minority
        interests                                                 | 1.8   |  | 1.6   |  | 2.3   |  | 1.6   |  | —     | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           | 268.1 |  | 349.5 |  | 448.9 |  | 131.0 |  | 229.1 | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Fixed charges:                                                             |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Interest
        expensed and capitalised                                  | 309.3 |  | 277.2 |  | 249.9 |  | 227.2 |  | 213.1 | 
|Amortised
        premiums, discounts and capitalised expenses             | 0.8   |  | 0.5   |  | 0.4   |  | 0.3   |  | 0.3   | 
|related
        to indebtedness                                            |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Interest
        portion in rental expense                                 | 6.2   |  | 5.3   |  | 4.2   |  | 3.9   |  | 2.9   | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           | 316.3 |  | 283.0 |  | 254.5 |  | 231.4 |  | 216.3 | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Total earnings
        available for payment of fixed charges              | 584.4 |  | 632.5 |  | 703.4 |  | 362.4 |  | 445.4 | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 
|Ratio of earnings
        to fixed charges                                 | 1.8   |  | 2.2   |  | 2.8   |  | 1.6   |  | 2.1   | 
|                                                                           |       |  |       |  |       |  |       |  |       | 

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