**Exhibit 7.1**

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**Calculation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges**

**In accordance with IFRS**

| **For the year ended 31 March**                                    |                                                   | **2006**    |         |   | **2005**    |         |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------|--------------|--------|-------------|--------------|
|                                                               |                                                   |        | **£m** |   |        | **£m** |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |   |
| Profit before tax before adjustment for minority interests in      |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
| consolidated subsidiaries or profits or losses from joint ventures |                                                   |  439.3 |         |   |  367.6 |         |
| Less:                                                              |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
|                                                               | Minority interests                                     |        | 0.3          |   |        | 1.8          |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
|                                                               |                                                   |        | 439.0        |   |        | 365.8        |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |   |
| Fixed charges                                                      |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
|                                                               | Interest expensed                                      |        | 354.7        |   |        | 322.1        |   |
|                                                               | Amortised premiums, discounts and capitalised expenses |        |         |   |        |         |   |
|                                                               | related to indebtedness                                |        | 0.9          |   |        |  0.8    |   |
|                                                               | Interest portion in rental expense                     |        | 4.9          |   |        | 6.2          |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
|                                                               |                                                   |        | 360.5        |   |        | 329.1        |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
| Total earnings available for payment of fixed charges              |                                                   | 799.5       |         |   | 694.9       |         |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                 |                                                   | 2.2         |         |   | 2.1         |         |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |   |
| **In accordance with US GAAP**                                     |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |   |
| For the year ended 31 March                                        |                                                   | **2006**    |         |   | **2005**    |         |
|                                                               |                                                   |        | **£m** |   |        | **£m** |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |   |
| Profit before tax before adjustment for minority interests in      |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
| consolidated subsidiaries or profits or losses from joint ventures |                                                   |  215.1 |         |   |  330.0 |         |
| Add:                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
|                                                               | Amortisation of capitalised interest                   |        | 14.4         |   |        | 13.5         |   |
| Subtract                                                           |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
|                                                               | Capitalised interest                                   |        | 46.3         |   |        | 85.4         |   |
|                                                               | Minority interests                                     |        | 0.3          |   |        | 1.8          |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
|                                                               |                                                   |        | 182.9        |   |        | 256.3        |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |   |
| Fixed charges:                                                     |                                                   |        |         |   |        |         |
|                                                               | Interest expensed and capitalised                      |        | 354.7        |   |        | 322.1        |   |
|                                                               | Amortised premiums, discounts and capitalised expenses |        |         |   |        |         |   |
|                                                               | related to indebtedness                                |        |  0.9    |   |        |  0.8    |   |
|                                                               | Interest portion in rental expense                     |        | 4.9          |   |        | 6.2          |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
|                                                               |                                                   |        | 360.5        |   |        | 329.1        |   |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
| Total earnings available for payment of fixed charges              |                                                   | 543.4       |         |   | 585.4       |         |
|                                                               |                                                   |        |              |        |             |              |  |
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                 |                                                   | 1.5         |         |   | 1.8         |         |
|                                                               |                                                   |             |              |        |             |              |

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