**Exhibit 7**

 

UNAUDITED COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES(1)

 
| ** **                                                           | ** ** | **2016**    | ** ** | **2015**    | ** ** | **2014**    | ** ** | **2013**    | ** ** | **2012**    | ** ** |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|-------------|------------|
| ** **                                                           | ** ** | **£m** | ** ** | **£m** | ** ** | **£m** | ** ** | **£m** | ** ** | **£m** | ** ** |
|                                                                 |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |
| Financing costs per   consolidated income statement(2)               |       | 2,124       |       | 1,736       |       | 1,554       |       | 1,596       |       | 1,768       |       |
| Financing costs —   discontinued operations                     |       | —      |       | —      |       | —      |       | 56          |       | 23          |       |
| One third of rental   expense                                        |       | 772         |       | 768         |       | 718         |       | 601         |       | 585         |       |
| Interest capitalized                                                 |       | 179         |       | 142         |       | 3           |       | 8           |       | 25          |       |
| **Fixed   charges**                                                  | ** ** | **3,075**   | ** ** | **2,646**   | ** ** | **2,275**   | ** ** | **2,261**   | ** ** | **2,401**   | ** ** |
|                                                                 |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |        |       |
| (Loss)/profit before   taxation from continuing operations           |       | (449        | )          | 1,095       |       | (5,270      | )          | (3,483      | )          | 4,144       |       |
| Share of results of   equity accounted associates and joint ventures |       | (44         | )          | 63          |       | (278        | )          | (575        | )          | (1,129      | )          |
| Fixed charges                                                        |       | 3,075       |       | 2,646       |       | 2,275       |       | 2,261       |       | 2,401       |       |
| Dividends received   from associates and joint ventures              |       | —      |       | 583         |       | 4,897       |       | 5,539       |       | 4,916       |       |
| Interest capitalized                                                 |       | (179        | )          | (142        | )          | (3          | )          | (8          | )          | (25         | )          |
| **Earnings**                                                         | ** ** | **2,403**   | ** ** | **4,245**   | ** ** | **1,621**   | ** ** | **3,734**   | ** ** | **10,307**  | ** ** |
| **Ratio   of earnings to fixed charges**                             | ** ** | **—**  | ** ** | **1.6**     | ** ** | **—**  | ** ** | **1.7**     | ** ** | **4.3**     | ** ** |
| **Deficiency   between fixed charges and earnings**                  | ** ** | **672**     | ** ** | **—**  | ** ** | **654**     | ** ** | **—**  | ** ** | —      | ** ** |

 

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Notes:

(1)             All of the financial information presented in this exhibit is unaudited.

(2)             Fixed charges include (1) interest expensed (2) interest capitalized (3) amortisation of premiums, discounts and capitalised expenses related to indebtedness, and (4) an estimate of the interest within rental expense. These include the financing costs of subsidiaries.  Fixed charges include net foreign exchange losses arising from net foreign exchange movements on certain intercompany loans of £433 million for the year ended 31 March 2016 (2015: £526 million gain, 2014: £21 million gain, 2013: £91 million loss, 2012: £nil), interest expense on settlement of tax issues of £15 million for the year ended 31 March 2016 (2015: £4m credit, 2014: £15 million credit, 2013: £91 million credit, 2012: £23 million expense) and equity put rights and similar arrangements of £nil for the year ended 31 March 2016 (2015: £11 million, 2014: £143 million, 2013: £136 million, 2012: £81 million).

 

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