Notes to the Financial Statements

For the short period 1 April 2006 to 3 March 2007

9. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT COSTS AND EMPLOYEE NUMBERS

(a) Employee costs for the Group were as follows:
	Notes	2007 £m	2006 £m
Wages and salaries		(631.9)	(616.7)
Social security costs		(39.8)	(40.2)
Share-based expense	30	(16.3)	(9.2)
Post employment benefits	25	(29.2)	(30.2)
		(717.2)	(696.3)

(b) The average number of employees were as follows:

	2007		2006
	Number of Employees	Full time equivalent	Number of Employees	Full time equivalent
Argos	33,879	18,214	31,410	17,861
Homebase	18,449	10,976	18,784	11,463
Financial Services	268	241	207	190
Central Activities	37	37	21	21
	52,633	29,468	50,422	29,535

(c) Key management compensation
	2007 £m	2006 £m
Short-term employee benefits	(4.7)	(1.3)
Post-employment benefits	(1.4)	(0.8)
Share-based expenses	(5.7)	(1.3)
	(11.8)	(3.4)

Key management compensation in 2007 includes remuneration of the new Home Retail Group plc Board for the period, which is not comparable with 2006. Further information on directors’ remuneration which forms part of these audited Financial Statements can be found in the Directors’ Remuneration Report.