OBLIGACIONES, DERECHOS Y PROHIBICIONES DEL TRABAJADOR

The comments below are of a general nature based on current law and practice in the relevant jurisdiction referred to. They relate only to the position of persons who are holders of the Notes (“Noteholders”) and may not apply to certain classes of persons such as dealers. Any Noteholders who are in doubt as to their personal tax position should consult their professional advisers.

Jersey

This summary is based on the law as in effect on the date of this Prospectus and is subject to any change in law that may take effect after such date.

The Company will have “exempt company” status within the meaning of Article 123A of the Income Tax (Jersey) Law 1961, as amended, for the calendar year ended 31 December 2006. The Company will be required to pay an annual exempt company charge that is currently £600 in respect of each subsequent calendar year during which it wishes to continue to have "exempt company" status. The retention of “exempt company” status is conditional on the Comptroller of Income Tax being satisfied that no Jersey resident has a beneficial interest in the Company, except as permitted by concessions granted by the Comptroller of Income Tax, and disclosure of beneficial ownership being made to the Jersey Financial Services Commission.

As an “exempt company” the Company will not be liable to Jersey income tax other than on Jersey source income (which by concession does not include interest on Jersey bank accounts).

Noteholders (other than residents of Jersey) are not subject to any tax in Jersey in respect of the holding, sale or other disposition of the Notes. Whilst the Company maintains its “exempt company” status payments of interest on the Notes may be made by the Issuer without withholding or deduction for or on account of Jersey income tax.

On 3 June 2003, the EU Council of Economic and Finance Ministers reached political agreement on the adoption of a Code of Conduct on Business Taxation. Jersey is not a member of the EU, however, the Policy and Resources Committee of the States of Jersey has announced that, in keeping with Jersey's policy of constructive international engagement, it intends to propose legislation to replace the Jersey exempt company status regime by the end of 2008 with a general zero rate of corporate tax. It is intended that the new corporate tax will preserve tax neutrality (and so retain the existing benefits of the exempt company regime through a revised fiscal structure). Unlike the exempt company regime, it is intended that the new regime will not require an annual application/election, or payment of any sum in connection therewith, by the relevant company.

No stamp duties are payable in Jersey on the acquisition, ownership, redemption, sale or other disposal of the Notes. Probate or Letters of Administration may be required to be obtained in Jersey on the death of an individual holder of the Notes. Stamp duty is payable in Jersey on the registration of such Probate or Letters of Administration on the value of the holder’s estate in Jersey.

European Union Directive on the Taxation of Savings Income

As part of an agreement reached in connection with the EU directive on the taxation of savings income in the form of interest payments, and in line with steps taken by other relevant third countries, Jersey introduced with effect from 1 July 2005 a retention tax system in respect of payments of interest, or other similar income, made to an individual beneficial owner resident in an EU Member State by a paying agent established in Jersey. The retention tax system applies for a transitional period prior to the implementation of a system of

automatic communication to EU Member States of information regarding such payments. During this transitional period, such an individual beneficial owner resident in an EU Member State will be entitled to request a paying agent not to retain tax from such payments but instead to apply a system by which the details of such payments are communicated to the tax authorities of the EU Member State in which the beneficial owner is resident.

The retention tax system in Jersey is implemented by means of bilateral agreements with each of the EU Member States, the Taxation (Agreements with European Union Member States) (Jersey) Regulations 2005 and Guidance Notes issued by the Policy & Resources Committee of the States of Jersey. Based on these provisions and what is understood to be the current practice of the Jersey tax authorities, the Company would not be obliged to levy retention tax in respect of the Issuer in Jersey under these provisions in respect of interest payments made by it to a paying agent established outside Jersey.

Austria Residents

Under Austrian tax law currently in effect, payments of interest on the Notes in accordance with their terms and conditions to a resident individual or corporation (within the meaning of the relevant Austrian tax laws) will generally be subject to Austrian income tax (at a flat rate of 25 per cent. levied by way of withholding or by way of assessment) and Austrian corporate income tax (at a flat rate of 25 per cent.), respectively.

Capital gains derived from the sale of the Notes by a resident individual or corporation will generally be subject to Austrian income tax (at a progressive rate of up to 50 per cent.) or Austrian corporate income tax (at a flat rate of 25 per cent.), respectively, with an exemption applying in the case of individuals holding the Notes as a non-business asset and selling/redeeming them after the expiry of a minimum one-year holding period.

Resident individuals and corporations are subject to Austrian inheritance and gift tax in the case of a transfer of the Notes inter mortuos or inter vivos, the rate of such tax depending upon the value of the assets transferred and upon the relationship between the deceased/the donor on the one hand and the heir/the donee on the other hand. An exemption may apply in the case of a transfer inter mortuos of Notes held as non- business assets.

No stamp, issue, registration or similar tax or duty will, under present Austrian law, be payable in Austria by resident Noteholders in connection with the issue of the Notes.

Non-residents

Under Austrian tax law currently in effect, payments of interest on the Notes in accordance with their terms and conditions to a non-resident individual or corporation (within the meaning of the relevant Austrian tax laws) having no other connection to Austria except for the mere holding of the Notes are not subject to Austrian taxation of income. If interest payments are made by a paying agent in Austria, a non-resident individual or corporation can - according to the practice of the Austrian tax authorities - prevent the Austrian withholding tax (currently 25 per cent.) from being deducted if proof of non-residency is furnished (e.g. by disclosing his identity and non-Austrian address). Such exemption will, however, only be effective if the Notes have been deposited with an Austrian bank.

Pursuant to the EU Withholding Tax Act (of Austria), paying agents in Austria are obliged to levy a withholding tax on interest payments to beneficial owners who are individuals resident for tax purposes in another member state of the EU or in Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, the British Virgin Islands or Montserrat. The withholding tax to be levied by the paying agent amounts to 15 per cent. in the three years beginning on 1 July 2005, 20 per cent. in the following three years and 35 per cent.

thereafter until the end of a transitional period. The withholding tax can be avoided if the beneficial owner provides a certificate issued by his or her local tax office containing certain personal details as well as details relating to the interest. The certificate is valid for three years.

Capital gains derived from the sale of the Notes by a non-resident individual or corporation having no other relation to Austria except for the mere holding of the Notes are not subject to Austrian income or corporation tax.

Non-resident individuals and corporations are not subject to Austrian inheritance or gift tax provided that neither the deceased/the donor nor the heir/the donee qualify as Austrians, within the meaning of the relevant statute, and that the Notes are not attributable to a permanent establishment in Austria. Even in such a case, an exemption may apply where Notes held as non-business assets are transferred inter mortuos.

No stamp, issue, registration or similar tax or duty will, under present Austrian law, be payable in Austria by non-resident Noteholders in connection with the issue of the Notes.

This summary of Austrian taxation issues is for general information purposes only and is based on a qualification of the Notes as debt instruments (Forderungswertpapiere) in the sense of §93(3) of the Austrian Income Tax Act. The tax consequences would differ if the Notes were to be qualified as equity instruments. Prospective holders of the Notes are advised to consult their tax and legal advisers with regard to the tax effects of their holding of the Notes.

Luxembourg

Under Luxembourg tax law currently in effect and with the possible exception of interest paid to individual Noteholders, there is no Luxembourg withholding tax on payments of interest (including accrued but unpaid interest). There is also no Luxembourg withholding tax, with the possible exception of payments made to individual Noteholders, upon repayment of principal in case of reimbursement, redemption, repurchase or exchange of the Notes.

Non-residents

Under the Luxembourg laws dated 21 June 2005 implementing the European Council Directive 2003/48/EC on the taxation of savings income (the ‘‘Savings Directive”) and several agreements concluded between Luxembourg and certain dependent territories of the European Union, a Luxembourg based paying agent (within the meaning of the Savings Directive) is required since 1 July 2005 to withhold tax on interest and other similar income paid by it to (or, under certain circumstances, to the benefit of) an individual resident in another Member State, unless the beneficiary of the interest payments elects for an exchange of information. The same regime applies to payments to individuals resident in certain EU dependent territories.

The withholding tax rate is initially 15 per cent., increasing steadily to 20 per cent. and to 35 per cent. The withholding tax system will only apply during a transitional period, the ending of which depends on the conclusion of certain agreements relating to information exchange with certain third countries.

Residents

A 10 per cent. withholding tax has been introduced, as from 1 January 2006, on interest payments made by Luxembourg paying agents (defined in the same way as in the Savings Directive) to Luxembourg individual residents. Only interest accrued after 1 July 2005 falls within the scope of the withholding tax. This withholding tax represents the final tax liability for the Luxembourg individual resident taxpayers, receiving the payment in the course of their private wealth.

EU Directive on the Taxation of Savings Income

The EU has adopted a Directive regarding the taxation of savings income. The Directive requires Member States to provide to the tax authorities of other Member States details of payments of interest and other similar income paid by a person to an individual in another Member State, except that Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg will instead impose a withholding system for a transitional period unless the beneficiary of the interest payments elects for an exchange of information.

FORM OF FINAL TERMS