Transaction in Own Shares

At the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 19 March 2008 shareholders
granted the company authority to purchase up to 20,683,482 ordinary shares.

The Company announces that it has today repurchased a further 650,000 ordinary
shares at a price of 117.5 pence per share. 650,000 ordinary shares have been
purchased to date under the above authority and the issued share capital
following cancellation of the shares repurchased will be 137,331,872 ordinary
shares.

Since 12 November 1999 when the Company first obtained powers to purchase its
own shares 166,468,247 shares have been repurchased.

20 March 2008