Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2008

The Directors consider that in preparing the Financial statements on
pages 44 to 76 that they have:
• selected suitable accounting policies and then apply them
consistently;
• made judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
• stated that the Financial statements comply with iFRss as adopted
by the European union; and
• prepared the Financial statements on the going concern basis, unless
it is inappropriate to presume that the Group will continue in business,
in which case there should be supporting assumptions or
qualifications as necessary.
The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that
disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of
the Company and the Group and to enable them to ensure that the
Financial statements and the Directors’ Remuneration Report comply with
the Companies Act 1985 and, as regards the Group Financial statements,
Article 4 of the iAs Regulation. They are also responsible for safeguarding
the assets of the Company and the Group and hence for taking reasonable
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed in the
Biography section of this report, are set out on pages 16 to 17 confirm
that to the best of their knowledge:
• the Group Financial statements, which have been prepared in
accordance with iFRss as adopted by the Eu, give a true and fair view
of the assets, liabilities, financial position and loss of the Group; and
• the Directors’ Report, on pages 18 to 23 includes a fair review of
the development and performance of the business and the position
of the Group, together with a description of the principal risks and
uncertainties that it faces.
The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the
Group web site, www.evgplc.com. legislation in the uK governing the
preparation and dissemination of Financial statements may differ from
legislation in other jurisdictions.
directors’ disclosures to the auditors
united Kingdom company law (section 234ZA of the Companies Act
2005) requires each Director to make an individual statement regarding
the disclosure of information to the auditors. The statement must
confirm that as at the date of this report and as far as the Director is
aware there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s
auditors are unaware; and that the Director has taken all the steps he
ought to have taken in order to make himself aware of any relevant audit
information and to establish that the Company’s auditors are aware of
that information. A Director is deemed to have taken all the steps
necessary that he ought to have taken if he has made such enquiries of
his fellow Directors and of the Company’s auditors for that purpose, and
taken such other steps, if any, for that purpose as are required by his duty
as a Director of the Company to exercise due care, skill and diligence.
All of the Directors of the Company as at the date of this report have
provided such a statement to the Company.
The Company’s auditors have been advised that confirmation has been given
and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of section
234ZA of the Companies Act 1985.
auditors
The Group has appointed pricewaterhouseCoopers llp (“pwC”) as
auditors of the parent Company and all subsidiaries since 2001.
During the year the Audit Committee reviewed the cost effectiveness,
objectivity and independence of the auditors in the light of assurances
received relating to their internal quality and control procedures, the
promptness and accuracy of their work and other services obtained from
their firm. The Audit Committee as a matter of principal will not award
non-audit work to the auditors unless it is satisfied, following enquiry,
that the provision of such services would not prejudice the independence
and objectivity of the audit. The auditors disclosed the level of fees
received in respect of the various services provided by their firm in
addition to audit during 2008. They confirmed to the Audit Committee
that they did not believe that the level of non-audit fees had affected their
independence. The Audit Committee is responsible for implementing a
policy for the engagement of the external auditors to supply non-audit
services. The most appropriate advisers are used for non-audit work
taking account of the need to maintain independence. The Group does
not maintain a policy of regular fixed-term rotation of auditors.
in addition to their statutory audit responsibilities, the Group will typically
use the auditors for other work that they are well placed to undertake in
that role. This includes areas such as: regulatory reviews and other ancillary
audit work; work in respect of acquisitions and disposals; and tax compliance.
several firms are considered for other work, including the auditors in
some instances. in such cases due consideration is given to the impact
of the assignment on the independence of the auditors and to their
qualifications to carry out the role.
The Board were satisfied that pwC had sufficient controls in place to
guard against any possible conflicts of interest and to ensure the
objectivity and independence of the audit. pwC were chosen in the
interests of cost effectiveness, efficiency and timeliness.
Having given consideration to the extra work undertaken by the auditors,
and after careful discussion with the responsible partner in pwC and the
Executive Directors, the Audit Committee is satisfied as to the
independence of the statutory auditors.
Because of this review, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board
that the auditors be re-elected and a resolution to re-appoint them as
the Company’s auditors will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual
General Meeting.
pwC have indicated their willingness to continue in office, and pursuant
to section 384 (1) of the Companies Act 1985, an ordinary resolution
re-appointing them as auditors and authorising the Directors to determine
their remuneration will be proposed at the 2009 Annual General Meeting.
ON BEHAlF OF THE BOARD
Tony lee
secretary
8 April 2009
We have made very good progress
WiTh The inTegraTion and developmenT
of each of our businesses.
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