17. Subject to any provision of depreciation or diminution in value made in accordance with paragraph 18 or 19 or the amount to be included in respect of any fixed asset shall be its purchase price or production cost.
18. In the case of any fixed asset which has a limited useful economic life, the amount of—
(a)its purchase price or production cost; or
(b)where it is estimated that any such asset will have a residual value at the end of the period of its useful economic life, its purchase price or production cost less that estimated residual value;
shall be reduced by provisions for depreciation calculated to write off that amount systematically over the period of the asset’s useful economic life.
19.—(1) Where a fixed asset investment of a description falling to be included under item B.III of either of the balance sheet formats set out in Part I has diminished in value provisions for diminution in value may be made in respect of it and the amount to be included in respect of it may be reduced accordingly; and any such provisions which are not shown in the profit and loss account shall be disclosed (either separately or in aggregate) in a note to the accounts.
(2) Provisions for diminution in value shall be made in respect of any fixed asset which has diminished in value if the reduction in its value is expected to be permanent (whether its useful economic life is limited or not), and the amount to be included in respect of it shall be reduced accordingly; and any such provisions which are not shown in the profit and loss account shall be disclosed (either separately or in aggregate) in a note to the accounts.
(3) Where the reasons for which any provision was made in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) or (2) have ceased to apply to any extent, that provision shall be written back to the extent that it is no longer necessary; and any amounts written back in accordance with this sub-paragraph which are not shown in the profit and loss account shall be disclosed (either separately or in aggregate) in a note to the accounts.
20.—(1) Notwithstanding that an item in respect of “development costs” is included under “fixed assets” in the balance sheet formats set out in Part I, an amount may only be included in a small company’s balance sheet in respect of development costs in special circumstances.
(2) If any amount is included in a small company’s balance sheet in respect of development costs the following information shall be given in a note to the accounts—
(a)the period over which the amount of those costs originally capitalised is being or is to be written off; and
(b)the reasons for capitalising the development costs in question.
21.—(1) The application of paragraphs 17 to 19 in relation to goodwill (if any case where goodwill is treated as an asset) is subject to the following provisions of this paragraph.
(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), the amount of the consideration for any goodwill acquired by a small company shall be reduced by provisions for depreciation calculated to write off that amount systematically over a period chosen by the directors of the company.
(3) The period chosen shall not exceed the useful economic life of the goodwill in question.
(4) In any case where any goodwill acquired by a small company is shown or included as an asset in the company’s balance sheet the period chosen for writing off the consideration for that goodwill and the reasons for choosing that period shall be disclosed in a note to the accounts.