海南省考生注意：2020年ACCA考试，科目要这么选！

(d) The managing partner of HLP stated at a recent partners’ meeting that ‘every advisor should aim to ensure that

95% of all hours he/she works are billed to clients. This will ensure that we remain both profitable and

competitive’.

Required:

Discuss the statement of the managing partner, drawing attention to any concerns that you may have

regarding the statement. (6 marks)

Glove Co makes high quality, hand-made gloves which it sells for an average of $180 per pair. The standard cost of labour for each pair is $42 and the standard labour time for each pair is three hours. In the last quarter, Glove Co had budgeted production of 12,000 pairs, although actual production was 12,600 pairs in order to meet demand.

37,000 hours were used to complete the work and there was no idle time. The total labour cost for the quarter was $531,930.

At the beginning of the last quarter, the design of the gloves was changed slightly. The new design required workers to sew the company’s logo on to the back of every glove made and the estimated time to do this was 15 minutes for each pair. However, no-one told the accountant responsible for updating standard costs that the standard time per pair of gloves needed to be changed. Similarly, although all workers were given a 2% pay rise at the beginning of the last quarter, the accountant was not told about this either. Consequently, the standard was not updated to reflect these changes.

When overtime is required, workers are paid 25% more than their usual hourly rate.

Required:

(a) Calculate the total labour rate and total labour efficiency variances for the last quarter. (2 marks)

(b) Analyse the above total variances into component parts for planning and operational variances in as much detail as the information allows. (6 marks)

(c) Assess the performance of the production manager for the last quarter. (7 marks)

6 Sergio and Gerard each inherited a half interest in a property, ‘Hilltop’, in October 2005. ‘Hilltop’ had a probate value

of ￡124,000, but in November 2005 it was badly damaged by fire. In January 2006 the insurance company made

a payment of ￡81,700 each to Sergio and Gerard. In February 2006 Sergio and Gerard each spent ￡55,500 of the

insurance proceeds on restoring the property. ‘Hilltop’ was worth ￡269,000 following the restoration work. In July

2006, Sergio and Gerard sold ‘Hilltop’ for ￡310,000.

Sergio is 69 years old and a widower with three adult children and seven grandchildren. His annual income consists

of a pension of ￡9,900 and interest of ￡300 on savings of ￡7,600 in a bank deposit account. Sergio owns his home

but no other significant assets. He plans to buy a domestic rental property with the proceeds from the sale of ‘Hilltop’,

such that on his death he will have a significant asset which can be sold and divided between the members of his

family.

Gerard is 34 years old. He is employed by Fizz plc on a salary of ￡66,500 per year together with a performance

related bonus. Gerard estimates that he will receive a bonus in December 2007 of ￡4,500, in line with previous

years, and that his taxable benefits in the tax year 2007/08 will amount to ￡7,140. He also expects to receive

dividends from UK companies of ￡1,935 and bank interest of ￡648 in the tax year 2007/08. Gerard intends to set

up a personal pension plan in August 2007. He has not made any pension contributions in the past and proposes to

use part of the proceeds from the sale of ‘Hilltop’ to make the maximum possible tax allowable contribution.

Fizz plc has announced that it intends to replace the performance related bonus scheme with a share incentive plan,

also linked to performance, with effect from 6 April 2008. Gerard estimates that Fizz plc will award him free shares

worth ￡2,100 each year. He will also purchase partnership shares worth ￡700 each year and, as a result, will be

awarded matching shares (further free shares) worth ￡1,400.

Required:

(a) Calculate the chargeable gains arising on the receipt of the insurance proceeds in January 2006 and the sale

of ‘Hilltop’ in July 2006. You should assume that any elections necessary to minimise the gain on the receipt

of the insurance proceeds have been submitted. (4 marks)