§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what methods of depreciation his Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [97046]
§ Mr. HainDepreciations will be provided at rates calculated to write off the valuation of fixed assets by equal instalments over their estimated useful lives. Freehold land is not depreciated. This method is in accordance with HM Treasury's Resource Accounting Manual. The requirements in the Manual regarding methods of depreciation will be underpinned by Financial Reporting Standard 15 "Tangible Fixed Assets", issued by the Accounting Standards Board.