Notes contentsNotes to consolidated financial statements

28. Treasury shares


    Pearson plc     Interactive Data   Total
Number
of shares
000s
£m Number
of shares
000s
£m £m
At 1 January 2007 8,761 130   6,052 59   189
Purchase of treasury shares 4,900 40   1,177 16   56
Release of treasury shares (1,900) (29)     (29)
At 31 December 2007 11,761 141   7,229 75   216
Purchase of treasury shares 2,028 12 1,976 35 47
Release of treasury shares (3,341) (41) (41)
At 31 December 2008 10,448 112 9,205 110 222

The Group holds Pearson plc shares in trust to satisfy its obligations under its restricted share plans (see note 26). These shares, representing 1.3% (2007: 1.5%) of called-up share capital, are treated as treasury shares for accounting purposes and have a par value of 25p per share.

Interactive Data hold their own shares in respect of share buy-back programmes. These shares are held as treasury shares and have a par value of $0.01.

The nominal value of Pearson plc treasury shares amounts to £2.6m (2007: £2.9m). The nominal value of Interactive Data treasury shares amounts to £0.06m (2007: £0.04m).

At 31 December 2008 the market value of Pearson plc treasury shares was £67.0m (2007: £86.1m) and the market value of Interactive Data treasury shares was £157.9m (2007: £119.9m).