(b) Identify the most appropriate approved share option scheme for Happy Home Ltd. Outline the scheme

requirements and the tax benefits of using it compared to the current unapproved scheme. (6 marks)

(c) (i) Identify and describe FOUR quality control procedures that are applicable to the individual audit

engagement; and (8 marks)

3 Damian is the finance director of Linden Limited, a medium sized, unquoted, UK trading company, with a 31 July

year end. Damian personally owns 10% of the ordinary issued share capital of Linden Limited, for which he paid

￡10,000 in June 1998. He estimates that the current market value of Linden Limited is ￡9 million and that the

company will make taxable profits of ￡1·4 million in the forthcoming year to 31 July 2007.

(a) Damian believes that Linden Limited should conduct its activities in a socially responsible manner and to this

end has proposed that in future all cars purchased by the company should be low emission vehicles. The sales

director has stated that several of his staff, who are the main recipients of company cars, other than the directors,

are extremely unhappy with this proposal, perceiving it as downgrading their value and status.

The cars currently provided to the sales staff have a list price of ￡19,600, on which Linden Limited receives a

bulk purchase discount of 6% from the dealer, and a CO2 emission rate of 168 grams/kilometre. The company

pays for up to ￡400 of accessories, of the salesmen’s own choice to be fitted to the cars and all of the running

costs, including private petrol. The cars are replaced every three years and the ‘old’ cars are sold at auction,

because they are high mileage vehicles.

The low emission cars it is proposed to purchase will have the same list price as the current cars, but the dealer

is only prepared to offer a bulk discount of 5% on these vehicles. Damian does not propose to make any other

changes to Linden Limited’s company car policy or practice.

Required:

(i) Explain the tax consequences of the proposed move to low emission vehicles for both the individual

salesmen and Linden Limited, illustrating your answer by means of relevant calculations of the tax and

national insurance (NIC) savings arising. (9 marks)

4 Whilst acknowledging the importance of high quality corporate reporting, the recommendations to improve it are

sometimes questioned on the basis that the marketplace for capital can determine the nature and quality of corporate

reporting. It could be argued that additional accounting and disclosure standards would only distort a market

mechanism that already works well and would add costs to the reporting mechanism, with no apparent benefit. It

could be said that accounting standards create costly, inefficient, and unnecessary regulation. It could be argued that

increased disclosure reduces risks and offers a degree of protection to users. However, increased disclosure has several

costs to the preparer of financial statements.

Required:

(a) Explain why accounting standards are needed to help the market mechanism work effectively for the benefit

of preparers and users of corporate reports. (9 marks)

(b) Discuss the nature of the following issues in developing IFRSs for SMEs.

(i) The purpose of the standards and the type of entity to whom they should apply. (7 marks)

(iii) Lateral or horizontal. (3 marks)

PV Co is evaluating an investment proposal to manufacture Product W33, which has performed well in test marketing trials conducted recently by the company’s research and development division. The following information relating to this investment proposal has now been prepared.

Initial investment $2 million

Selling price (current price terms) $20 per unit

Expected selling price inflation 3% per year

Variable operating costs (current price terms) $8 per unit

Fixed operating costs (current price terms) $170,000 per year

Expected operating cost inflation 4% per year

The research and development division has prepared the following demand forecast as a result of its test marketing trials. The forecast reflects expected technological change and its effect on the anticipated life-cycle of Product W33.

It is expected that all units of Product W33 produced will be sold, in line with the company’s policy of keeping no inventory of finished goods. No terminal value or machinery scrap value is expected at the end of four years, when production of Product W33 is planned to end. For investment appraisal purposes, PV Co uses a nominal (money) discount rate of 10% per year and a target return on capital employed of 30% per year. Ignore taxation.

Required:

(a) Identify and explain the key stages in the capital investment decision-making process, and the role of

investment appraisal in this process. (7 marks)

(b) Calculate the following values for the investment proposal:

(i) net present value;

(ii) internal rate of return;

(iii) return on capital employed (accounting rate of return) based on average investment; and

(iv) discounted payback period. (13 marks)

(c) Discuss your findings in each section of (b) above and advise whether the investment proposal is financially acceptable. (5 marks)

5 GE Railways plc (GER) operates a passenger train service in Holtland. The directors have always focused solely on

the use of traditional financial measures in order to assess the performance of GER since it commenced operations

in 1992. The Managing Director of GER has asked you, as a management accountant, for assistance with regard to

the adoption of a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement within GER.

Required:

(a) Prepare a memorandum explaining the potential benefits and limitations that may arise from the adoption of

a balanced scorecard approach to performance measurement within GER. (8 marks)

(c) Discuss TWO limitations of the Boston Consulting Group matrix as a strategic planning tool. (4 marks)

(c) Explain the benefits of performance-related pay in rewarding directors and critically evaluate the implications

of the package offered to Choo Wang. (8 marks)

(b) Calculate the inheritance tax (IHT) liability arising as a result of Christopher’s death. (11 marks)