Pursuant to the proposed interim dividend of 8.5 pence per ordinary share announced on 18 August 2009 and the announcement regarding the Scrip Dividend Scheme on 21 October 2009, the Company announces that it has received valid elections for the Scrip Dividend Offer in respect of 103,894 new ordinary shares of 50p each in the capital of the Company ("New Shares"). PHP has therefore today (16 November 2009) made application for the admission to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority of 103,894 New Shares issued in lieu of the interim cash dividend for the six months ended 30 June 2009. Admission of the new securities is expected to be effective on 20 November 2009.
Total voting rights
Following the allotment of 103,894 new ordinary shares of 50p in the Company in respect of the Scrip Dividend Scheme on 16 November 2009 and in accordance with the Financial Service Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Company hereby announces that it has 61,457,298 ordinary shares of 50p each in issue, each share carrying the right to one vote. The Company does not hold any shares in Treasury.
The above figure of 61,457,298 ordinary shares may be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Service Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.