Holding(s) in Company

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

1.Identity of the issuer or the underlying   Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc  
issuer of existing shares to which voting     
rights are attached:                                                             
                                                                                 
2. Reason for the notification:                                                  
                                                                                 
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights  Yes                                 
                                                                                 
An acquisition or disposal of financial      N/A                                 
instruments which may result in the                                              
acquisition of shares already issued to                                          
which voting rights are attached                                                 
                                                                                 
An event changing the breakdown of voting    N/A                                 
rights                                                                           
                                                                                 
Other (please specify):                      N/A                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
3. Full name of person(s) subject to the     Barclays PLC                        
notification obligation                                                          
                                                                                 
4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different                                     
from 3.):                                                                        
                                                                                 
5. Date of the transaction (and date on      13 July 2011                        
which the threshold is crossed or reached if                                     
different):                                                                      
                                                                                 
6. Date on which issuer notified:            15 July 2011                        
                                                                                 
7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or       3% - below notifiable level         
reached:                                                                         
                                                                                 
8. Notified details:                                                             
                                                                                 
A: Voting rights attached to shares                                              
                                                                                 
Class/type   Situation previous to Resulting situation after the triggering      
of shares    the Triggering        transaction                                   
             transaction                                                         
if possible                                                                      
using the    Number of Number of   Number of  Number of voting  % of voting      
ISIN CODE    Shares    Voting      Shares     rights            rights           
                       Rights                                                    
                                              Direct Indirect   Direct Indirect  
                                                                                 
Ordinary 1p  3,751,871 3,751,871   Below      0      Below      0      Below     
Shares                             notifiable        notifiable        notifiable
GB0000066554                       threshold         threshold         threshold 
                                                                                 

 

B: Financial Instruments                                                         
                                                                                 
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction                             
                                                                                 
Type of          Expiration Exercise/           Number of voting rights   % of   
financial        date       Conversion Period/  that may be acquired if   voting 
instrument                  Date                the instrument is         rights 
                                                exercised/ converted.            
                                                                                 
N/A              N/A        N/A                 N/A                       N/A    
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
C: Financial Instruments with a similar economic effect to Qualifying            
Financial Instruments                                                            
                                                                                 
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction                             
                                                                                 
Type of          Exercise   Expiration date     Number of voting rights   % of   
financial        Price                          instrument refers to      voting 
instrument                                                                rights 
                                                                                 
N/A              N/A        N/A                 N/A                       N/A    
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
Total (A+B+C)                                                                    
                                                                                 
Number of voting rights                        % of voting rights                
                                                                                 
Below notifiable threshold                     Below notifiable threshold        
                                                                                 
9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the   
financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable                        
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
Proxy Voting:                                                                    
                                                                                 
10. Name of the proxy holder:                        N/A                         
                                                                                 
11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease  N/A                         
to hold:                                                                         
                                                                                 
12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold    N/A                         
voting rights:                                                                   
                                                                                 
13. Additional information:                                                      
                                                                                 
14. Contact name:                                    David Holland, Aberforth Partners LLP, 
                                                     Secretaries   
                                                                                 
15. Contact telephone number                         0131-220-0733