9Subject to paragraph 15 below, the amounts to be included in respect of all items shown in a company's accounts shall be determined in accordance with the principles set out in paragraphs 10 to 14.
10The company shall be presumed to be carrying on business as a going concern.
11Accounting policies shall be applied consistently from one financial year to the next.
12The amount of any item shall be determined on a prudent basis, and in particular—
(a)only profits realised at the balance sheet date shall be included in the profit and loss account; and
(b)all liabilities and losses which have arisen or are likely to arise in respect of the financial year to which the accounts relate or a previous financial year shall be taken into account, including those which only become apparent between the balance sheet date and the date on which it is signed on behalf of the board of directors in pursuance of section 238 of this Act.
13All income and charges relating to the financial year to which the accounts relate shall be taken into account, without regard to the date of receipt or payment
14In determining the aggregate amount of any item the amount of each individual asset or liability that falls to be taken into account shall be determined separately.
15If it appears to the directors of a company that there are special reasons for departing from any of the principles stated above in preparing the company's accounts in respect of any financial year they may do so, but particulars of the departure, the reasons for it and its effect shall be given in a note to the accounts.
16Subject to section C of this Part of this Schedule, the amounts to be included in respect of all items shown in a company's accounts shall be determined in accordance with the rules set out in paragraphs 17 to 28.
17Subject to any provision for depreciation or diminution in value made in accordance with paragraph 18 or 19 the amount to be included in respect of any fixed asset shall be its purchase price or production cost
18In 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 of this Schedule 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 of this Schedule, an amount may only be included in a company's balance sheet in respect of development costs in special circumstances.
(2)If any amount is included in a 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 (in any case where goodwill is treated as an asset) is subject to the following provisions of this paragraph.
(2)Subject to sub-paragraph (3) below, the amount of the consideration for any goodwill acquired by a 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 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.
22Subject to paragraph 23, the amount to be included in respect of any current asset shall be its purchase price or production cost
23(1)If the net realisable value of any current asset is lower than its purchase price or production cost the amount to be included in respect of that asset shall be the net realisable value.
(2)Where the reasons for which any provision for diminution in value was made in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) have ceased to apply to any extent, that provision shall be written back to the extent that it is no longer necessary.
24(1)Where the amount repayable on any debt owed by a company is greater than the value of the consideration received in the transaction giving rise to the debt, the amount of the difference may be treated as an asset.
(2)Where any such amount is so treated—
(a)it shall be written off by reasonable amounts each year and must be completely written off before repayment of the debt; and
(b)if the current amount is not shown as a separate item in the company's balance sheet it must be disclosed in a note to the accounts.
25(1)Subject to the following sub-paragraph, assets which fall to be included—
(a)amongst the fixed assets of a company under the item " tangible assets " ; or
(b)amongst the current assets of a company under the item " raw materials and consumables " ;
may be included at a fixed quantity and value.
(2)Sub-paragraph (1) applies to assets of a kind which are constantly being replaced, where—
(a)their overall value is not material to assessing the company's state of affairs ; and
(b)their quantity, value and composition are not subject to material variation.
26(1)The purchase price of an asset shall be determined by adding to the actual price paid any expenses incidental to its acquisition.
(2)The production cost of an asset shall be determined by adding to the purchase price of the raw materials and consumables used the amount of the costs incurred by the company which are directly attributable to the production of that asset
(3)In addition, there may be included in the production cost of an asset—
(a)a reasonable proportion of the costs incurred by the company which are only indirectly attributable to the production of that asset, but only to the extent that they relate to the period of production ; and
(b)interest on capital borrowed to finance the production of that asset, to the extent that it accrues in respect of the period of production ;
provided, however, in a case within paragraph (b) above, that the inclusion of the interest in determining the cost of that asset and the amount of the interest so included is disclosed in a note to the accounts.
(4)In the case of current assets distribution costs may not be included in production costs.
27(1)Subject to the qualification mentioned below, the purchase price or production cost of—
(a)any assets which fall to be included under any item shown in a company's balance sheet under the general item " stocks " ; and
(b)any assets which are fungible assets (including investments);
may be determined by the application of any of the methods mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) below in relation to any such assets of the same class.
The method chosen must be one which appears to the directors to be appropriate in the circumstances of the company.
(2)Those methods are—
(a)the method known as " first in, first out" (FIFO);
(b)the method known as " last in, first out " (LIFO);
(c)a weighted average price ; and
(d)any other method similar to any of the methods mentioned above.
(3)Where in the case of any company—
(a)the purchase price or production cost of assets falling to be included under any item shown in the company's balance sheet has been determined by the application of any method permitted by this paragraph ; and
(b)the amount shown in respect of that item differs materially from the relevant alternative amount given below in this paragraph ;
the amount of that difference shall be disclosed in a note to the accounts.
(4)Subject to sub-paragraph (5) below, for the purposes of sub-paragraph (3)(b) above, the relevant alternative amount, in relation to any item shown in a company's balance sheet, is the amount which would have been shown in respect of that item if assets of any class included under that item at an amount determined by any method permitted by this paragraph had instead been included at their replacement cost as at the balance sheet date.
(5)The relevant alternative amount may be determined by reference to the most recent actual purchase price or production cost before the balance sheet date of assets of any class included under the item in question instead of by reference to their replacement cost as at that date, but only if the former appears to the directors of the company to constitute the more appropriate standard of comparison in the case of assets of that class.
(6)For the purposes of this paragraph, assets of any description shall be regarded as fungible if assets of that description are substantially indistinguishable one from another.
28Where there is no record of the purchase price or production cost of any asset of a company or of any price, expenses or costs relevant for determining its purchase price or production cost in accordance with paragraph 26, or any such record cannot be obtained without unreasonable expense or delay, its purchase price or production cost shall be taken for the purposes of paragraphs 17 to 23 to be the value ascribed to it in the earliest available record of its value made on or after its acquisition or production by the company.
29(1)The rules set out in section B are referred to below in this Schedule as the historical cost accounting rules.
(2)Those rules, with the omission of paragraphs 16, 21 and 25 to 28, are referred to below in this Part of this Schedule as the depreciation rules; and references below in this Schedule to the historical cost accounting rules do not include the depreciation rules as they apply by virtue of paragraph 32.
30Subject to paragraphs 32 to 34, the amounts to be included in respect of assets of any description mentioned in paragraph 31 may be determined on any basis so mentioned.
31(1)Intangible fixed assets, other than goodwill, may be included at their current cost
(2)Tangible fixed assets may be included at a market value determined as at the date of their last valuation or at their current cost.
(3)Investments of any description falling to be included under item B.III of either of the balance sheet formats set out in Part I of this Schedule may be included either—
(a)at a market value determined as at the date of their last valuation ; or
(b)at a value determined on any basis which appears to the directors to be appropriate in the circumstances of the company;
but in the latter case particulars of the method of valuation adopted and of the reasons for adopting it shall be disclosed in a note to the accounts.
(4)Investments of any description falling to be included under item C.III of either of the balance sheet formats set out in Part 1 of this Schedule may be included at their current cost.
(5)Stocks may be included at their current cost.
32(1)Where the value of any asset of a company is determined on any basis mentioned in paragraph 31, that value shall be, or (as the case may require) be the starting point for determining, the amount to be included in respect of that asset in the company's accounts, instead of its purchase price or production cost or any value previously so determined for that asset; and the depreciation rules shall apply accordingly in relation to any such asset with the substitution for any reference to its purchase price or production cost of a reference to the value most recently determined for that asset on any basis mentioned in paragraph 31.
(2)The amount of any provision for depreciation required in the case of any fixed asset by paragraph 18 or 19 as it applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) is referred to below in this paragraph as the adjusted amount, and the amount of any provision which would be required by that paragraph in the ease of that asset according to the historical cost accounting rules is referred to as the historical cost amount.
(3)Where sub-paragraph (1) applies in the case of any fixed asset the amount of any provision for depreciation in respect of that asset—
(a)included in any item shown in the profit and loss account in respect of amounts written off assets of the description in question; or
(b)taken into account in stating any item so shown which is required by note (14) of the notes on the profit and loss account formats set out in Part I of this Schedule to be stated after taking into account any necessary provisions for depreciation or diminution in value of assets included under it;
may be the historical cost amount instead of the adjusted amount, provided that the amount of any difference between the two is shown separately in the profit and loss account or in a note to the accounts.
33(1)This paragraph applies where the amounts to be included in respect of assets covered by any items shown in a company's accounts have been determined on any basis mentioned in paragraph 31.
(2)The items affected and the basis of valuation adopted in determining the amounts of the assets in question in the case of each such item shall be disclosed in a note to the accounts.
(3)In the case of each balance sheet item affected (except stocks) either—
(a)the comparable amounts determined according to the historical cost accounting rules; or
(b)the differences between those amounts and the corresponding amounts actually shown in the balance sheet in respect of that item;
shall be shown separately in the balance sheet or in a note to the accounts.
(4)In sub-paragraph (3) above, references in relation to any item to the comparable amounts determined as there mentioned are references to—
(a)the aggregate amount which would be required to be shown in respect of that item if the amounts to be included in respect of all the assets covered by that item were determined according to the historical cost accounting rules ; and
(b)the aggregate amount of the cumulative provisions for depreciation or diminution in value which would be permitted or required in determining those amounts according to those rules.
34(1)With respect to any determination of the value of an asset of a company on any basis mentioned in paragraph 31, the amount of any profit or loss arising from that determination (after allowing, where appropriate, for any provisions for depreciation or diminution in value made otherwise than by reference to the value so determined and any adjustments of any such provisions made in the light of that determination) shall be credited or (as the case may be) debited to a separate reserve ("the revaluation reserve").
(2)The amount of the revaluation reserve shall be shown in the company's balance sheet under a separate sub-heading in the position given for the item " revaluation reserve " in Format 1 or 2 of the balance sheet formats set out in Part I of this Schedule, but need not be shown under that name.
(3)The revaluation reserve shall be reduced to the extent that the amounts standing to the credit of the reserve are in the opinion of the directors of the company no longer necessary for the purpose of the accounting policies adopted by the company; but an amount may only be transferred from the reserve to the profit and loss account if either—
(a)the amount in question was previously charged to that account; or
(b)it represents realised profit.
(4)The treatment for taxation purposes of amounts credited or debited to the revaluation reserve shall be disclosed in a note to the accounts.