Prism Glass Works, manufactures and sells high quality glass bottles for industrial use. The company at present reports profits on an absorption costing basis. However, Tom Cuck (the management accountant of Prism Glass Works) is not in support of continuing the use of absorption costing system due to the high fixed costs associated with the glass container industry and a substantial difference between sales volume and production in some months. Tom proposes to the top management that it would be more appropriate for the company to report profits based on marginal costing. In his proposal to management, Tom lists the following reasons in support of this proposal:

(1) Marginal costing provides for the complete segregation of fixed costs, thus facilitating closer control of production costs.

(2) It eliminates the distortion of interim profit statements which occur when there are seasonal fluctuations in sales volume although production is fairly constant.

(3) It results in cost information which is more helpful in determining the sales policy and profit planning.

From the accounting records the following figures were extracted:

Budgeted cost per bottle is as follows:

Particulars	Amount ($)
Direct materials	8.00
Direct labour	7.20
Other variable production costs	3.36

Note 1: Total annual fixed production overhead was budgeted at $7,584,000 and the annual budgeted production was 1,440,000 bottles. However, due to the nature of the demand, the monthly budgeted production from January to June was twice that of the monthly budgeted production from July to December. The actual fixed overhead incurred was as budgeted.

Further information:

Particulars	June	July
Bottles sold	87,000	101,000
Bottles produced	115,000	78,000
Selling price per bottle	$32	$32
Fixed selling expenses	$120,000	$120,000
Fixed administrative expenses	$80,000	$80,000

The opening stock as of 1st June was 1500 bottles.

Required:

(a) Prepare income statements for the months of Juneand July as per absorption costing. [7 marks]

(b) Prepare income statements for the months of Juneand July as per marginal costing. [7 marks]

(c) Assess and comment briefly on Toms three reasons which he listed to support his proposal to report profits using marginal costing. [6 marks]