Notes to the Accounts (continued)

23. Operating leases

The Group and Charity are committed to payments in the year to 31 March 2012 under non-cancellable operating leases, which expire as follows:

Group 2011 £000

Land and buildings Within one year

Between one and five years After five years

Total

Vehicles and equipment Within one year

Between one and five years Total

1,456 7,934 3,666

13,056

112 660

772

Group 2010 £000

1,374 8,608 5,622

15,604

168 894

1,062

Charity 2011 £000

1,381 7,396 3,666

12,443

112 660

772

Charity 2010 £000

1,127 8,258 5,622

15,007

168 894

1,062

The Charity and the Group have a lease which is for a period coming to an end more than five years from the balance sheet date and which is subject to a rent-free period in the year to 31 March 2012. No rental payments are included above in respect of this lease. However, to allocate rent over the period of the lease it is anticipated that a charge of £4.7 million will be made to the SOFA in the year to 31 March 2012 (2011: £3.2 million).

24. Guarantees

The Charity is party to a Group registration for VAT purposes. As the representative member, the Charity is jointly and severally liable for any VAT liabilities of the subsidiary companies that are part of the same VAT registration.

25. Capital commitments Future capital expenditure on specific projects for the Group of £5.6 million (Charity £nil million) had been contracted for but not provided for as at the year end (2010: Group £15.0 million and Charity £7.0 million). The additional future capital expenditure for the Group relates to £5.6 million committed by the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research for the expansion of the Institute’s Biological Services Unit.

In addition, as shown in Note 16a, the Group has a share in the capital commitments of UKCMRI Ltd at 31 March 2011 amounting to £21.5 million (2010: UKCMRI Construction Ltd £9.6 million). In total the Group expects to contribute up to £160 million towards the cost of the project.

48 / Annual Report and Accounts / Notes to the Accounts