Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI)

Retirement benefits – Pensions and healthcare (FRS No. 17)

The most recent actuarial valuations of the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes and post-retirement healthcare schemes have been updated to 31 December 2004 to take account of the transitional requirements of FRS No. 17. The FRS No.17 financial information presented in the Group’s 2003 Annual Report and Accounts was based on the Group’s major defined benefit schemes. As a result of the transition to International Financial Reporting Standards and to provide a more complete presentation, the Group has collected information on all the Group’s global defined benefit schemes from 1 January 2004. The disclosures for 2003 and 2002 are based upon the major schemes only.

Retirement benefits – Pensions and healthcare (FRS No. 17)

The most recent actuarial valuations of the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes and post-retirement healthcare schemes have been updated to 31 December 2004 to take account of the transitional requirements of FRS No. 17. The FRS No.17 financial information presented in the Group’s 2003 Annual Report and Accounts was based on the Group’s major defined benefit schemes. As a result of the transition to International Financial Reporting Standards and to provide a more complete presentation, the Group has collected information on all the Group’s global defined benefit schemes from 1 January 2004. The disclosures for 2003 and 2002 are based upon the major schemes only.