To the London Stock Exchange
13 June 2013
Mothercare plc ("the Company")
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
In accordance with the requirements of Rule 6.3.5 of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules ("DTR") of the UK Financial Services Authority, the Company has today published the following documents on its website, www.mothercareplc.com:
The Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 March 2013; and
Notice of Annual General Meeting of the Company which is to be held at 3.00pm on Thursday 18 July 2013 at the Company's office at Cherry Tree Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 6SH.
In accordance with LR 9.6.1R and LR 9.6.3R copies of these documents will shortly be available for inspection via the National Storage Mechanism located at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm.
We also attach to this announcement, a description of the principal risk factors and a responsibility statement as required by DTR 4.1.12 and as set out in the Annual Financial Report for the year ended 30 March 2013. The Company's preliminary statement was announced on 23rd May 2013 and is available to view at the Company's website: mothercareplc.com/financial-reports.
Please note that page and note references below refer to the corresponding pages and/or notes in the annual report and accounts.
Principal Risks and Uncertainties
The principal risks and uncertainties facing the Company may include some of those set out below. These risks and uncertainties reflect and focus on some of the group's challenges in delivering the Transformation and Growth plan, particularly in the context of the wider economic uncertainties at a macro level. It should be borne in mind that that this not an exhaustive list and that there may be other risks that have not been considered or risks that the board considers now are insignificant or immaterial in nature, but that may arise and/or have a larger effect than originally expected. Against this background, the system of internal control is designed to manage rather than eliminate risks, to reduce the impact on the group and to ensure that adequate mitigation is in place.
In order to manage risk effectively, the executive committee (see page 39) has overall responsibility for ensuring that a rolling programme of structured risk assessments of those areas having a significant effect on the future of the business is carried out. This programme ensures, so far as practicably possible, that the appropriate risk management processes are identified, controls established, residual risks evaluated and that the necessary monitoring action and risk avoidance measures taken. Elements of the programme are reviewed by the internal audit function during the course of each financial year. The process outlined above has been in effect during the period and up to the date of the approval of the accounts by the board.
The process outlined above has been in effect during the period and up to the date of the approval of the accounts by the board.
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People and infrastructure |
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Directors' responsibility statement
We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:
The financial statements, prepared in accordance with the relevant financial reporting framework, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company and the undertakings, included in the consolidation taken as a whole; and
The Chairman's Statement, Chief Executive's Statement, Business Review, Financial Review and the Directors' Report include a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the company and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face; and
The directors consider that the annual report and accounts, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable and gives shareholders the information needed to assess the group's performance, business model and strategy.
The directors of Mothercare plc are listed on page 38 and on the Company's website at mothercareplc.com.
Email: investorrelations@mothercare.com