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Note   Year ended
31 December
2004
£m
Year ended
31 December
2003
£m
  a) Reconciliation of operating profit to net cash inflow from operating activities    
  Operating profit/(loss) 121 (279)
  Impairment 404
  Release of guarantee on sale of Elcogas (11)
    110 125
14 Depreciation 85 108
  Other amortisation 1
  Movement in working capital:
  Increase in stocks (6) (5)
  Decrease/(increase) in debtors 8 (25)
  Increase/(decrease) in creditors 1 (13)
  Decrease in provisions (7)
  Net cash inflow from operating activities 198 184
   
  b) Dividends received from joint ventures and associates
  Dividends from joint ventures 10 10
  Dividends from associates 59 91
  Total dividends received from joint ventures and associates 69 101
 
To aid comparability dividends from KAPCO have been included in the share of associates' dividends for 2003 in the above table.
   
  c) Returns on investments and servicing of finance
  Other interest and dividends received 29 26
  Debt and loan interest paid (105) (105)
  Debt issue costs paid (30) (3)
  Dividends paid to minority shareholders (3) (2)
  Returns on investments and servicing of finance – ordinary (109) (84)
  Returns on investments and servicing of finance – exceptional:
  Refinancing and swap termination costs (26) (4)
  Net cash outflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance (135) (88)
 
d) Capital expenditure and financial investment  
  Purchase of tangible fixed assets:
  Maintenance (59) (64)
  Growth (158) (57)
  Purchase of tangible fixed assets (217) (121)
  Receipts from sale of fixed assets 1
  Compensation for long-term performance shortfalls 5 56
  Investment in joint ventures and associates (64) (8)
  Return on investment in joint venture 4
  Other financial investment (1) (2)
  Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investment – ordinary (273) (74)
  Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investment – exceptional:
  Receipts from sale of fixed asset investment 11
  Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investment (273) (63)
 
  e) Acquisitions and disposals  
26 Purchase of the EME portfolio (1,060)
26 Purchase of Turbogás (135)
26 Net cash acquired with subsidiaries 52
  Acquisitions and disposals – ordinary (1,143)
  Receipts from partial disposal of investment in HUBCO 17 21
  Receipts from sale of subsidaries 3
  Acquisitions and disposals – exceptional 17 24
  Net cash (outflow)/inflow from acquisitions and disposals (1,126) 24
   
  f) Financing activities
23 Share buyback (13)
  Proceeds from share issue 286
  Funding from minorities 165
27 Bank loans 617 (247)
  Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities 1,068 (260)

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