The Company today received a notification dated 22 December 2006 from The Capital Group Companies, Inc. (“CGC”) that, as at 21 December 2006, CGC had an interest in 116,415,000 ordinary shares of 1p each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares"). This interest represents approximately 8.29 per cent. of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company, being 1,402,950,558 Ordinary Shares.

This interest arises by virtue of Ordinary Shares attributed to the following registered names: