Notes to the accounts

52 Contingent liabilities

The company has provided cross-guarantees in respect of the group indemnities to the Royal Bank of Scotland relating to guarantees, negotiations and foreign exchange facilities of which £4.6m (2004: £4.9m) was outstanding at 31 December 2005.

The company has provided cross-guarantees in respect of the indemnities provided by the group, in the ordinary course of business, to JP Morgan Chase NA relating to outstanding letters of credit of which £1.3m (2004: £0.9m) was outstanding at 31 December 2005.

The company has provided cross-guarantees in respect of the indemnities provided by the group, in the ordinary course of business, to ABN AMRO Bank NV relating to outstanding trade finance facilities of which £6.2m (2004: £5.1m) was outstanding at 31 December 2005.

Spectris plc has issued guarantees in respect of certain of its subsidiary companies' operations in the normal course of business.