(a) IAS 37 Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets prescribes the accounting and disclosure for those items named in its title.

Required:

Define provisions and contingent liabilities and briefly explain how IAS 37 improves consistency in financial reporting.

(b) The following items have arisen during the preparation of Borough’s draft financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2011:

(i) On 1 October 2010, Borough commenced the extraction of crude oil from a new well on the seabed. The cost of a 10-year licence to extract the oil was $50 million. At the end of the extraction, although not legally bound to do so, Borough intends to make good the damage the extraction has caused to the seabed environment. This intention has been communicated to parties external to Borough. The cost of this will be in two parts: a fixed amount of $20 million and a variable amount of 2 cents per barrel extracted. Both of these amounts are based on their present values as at 1 October 2010 (discounted at 8%) of the estimated costs in 10 years’ time. In the year to 30 September 2011 Borough extracted 150 million barrels of oil.

(ii) Borough owns the whole of the equity share capital of its subsidiary Hamlet. Hamlet’s statement of financial position includes a loan of $25 million that is repayable in five years’ time. $15 million of this loan is secured on Hamlet’s property and the remaining $10 million is guaranteed by Borough in the event of a default by Hamlet. The economy in which Hamlet operates is currently experiencing a deep recession, the effects of which are that the current value of its property is estimated at $12 million and there are concerns over whether Hamlet can survive the recession and therefore repay the loan.

Required:

Describe, and quantify where possible, how items (i) and (ii) above should be treated in Borough’s statement of financial position for the year ended 30 September 2011.

In the case of item (ii) only, distinguish between Borough’s entity and consolidated financial statements and refer to any disclosure notes. Your answer should only refer to the treatment of the loan and should not consider any impairment of Hamlet’s property or Borough’s investment in Hamlet.

Note: the treatment in the income statement is NOT required for any of the items.

The following mark allocation is provided as guidance for this requirement:

(i) 5 marks

(ii) 4 marks