Holding(s) in Company

The Company has been notified today for the purposes of Part VI of the
Companies Act 1985 on behalf of Aberforth Limited Partnership IA and Aberforth
Limited Partnership IB, each having its principal place of business at 14
Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS, that today Aberforth Limited Partnership IA
and Aberforth Limited Partnership IB have become aware that together they have
a notifiable interest of 4,590,000 Ordinary Shares of 5p in aggregate which,
represents 9.42% of the issued share capital of Oxford Instruments plc.

Aberforth Limited Partnership IA and Aberforth Limited Partnership IB entered
into an agreement to which section 204 of the Companies Act 1985 applies on 9th
February 2001 ("the Agreement"). There are no other parties to this Agreement.
Aberforth Limited Partnership IA is the beneficial owner of 2,295,000 Ordinary
Shares of 5p and Aberforth Limited Partnership IB is the beneficial owner of
2,295,000 Ordinary Shares of 5p. By virtue of the agreement, each of Aberforth
Limited Partnership IA and Aberforth Limited Partnership IB, is interested, in
addition to the shares beneficially owned by it, in the shares beneficially
owned by the other by virtue of sections 204 and 205 of the Companies Act 1985.

This notification is also made on behalf of the partners of each of Aberforth
Limited Partnership IA and Aberforth Limited Partnership IB save to the extent
that such partners have other interests in the securities to which this
notification relates. The names and addresses of each of the partners are
undernoted below.

The shares to which this notification relates are registered as follows:

             Registered Holder                    Number of Shares     
                                                                       
Nortrust Nominees Ltd A/C ABERFRTH           2,295,000                 
                                                                       
Nortrust Nominees Ltd A/C ABERFRTH           2,295,000                 

For your information, please note that the above holdings form part of the
total interest of Aberforth Partners which, at present, totals 10,588,885
shares being 21.72%

Note referred to above:

Partners of Aberforth Limited Partnership IA:

 1. Aberforth LGP IA Limited, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 2. Aberforth Partners Assets LP I, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 3. Aberforth Special LP IA, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 4. Aberforth Special LP IB, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 5. A&OT Investments Limited, c/o Baillie Gifford & Co., 1 Rutland Court,
    Edinburgh EH3 8EY
   
 6. Brittanic Investment Managers Limited, Brittanic Court, 50 Bothwell Street,
    Glasgow G2 6HR
   
 7. Caledonia Investments plc, Cayzer House, 30 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E
    6NN
   
 8. Co-operative Insurance Society Limited, Miller Street, Manchester M60 0AL
   
 9. Guild Ventures Limited, Lynton House, Ackhurst Park, Chorley, Lancashire
    PR7 1NY
   
10. The Monks Investment Trust plc, c/o Baillie Gifford & Co., 1 Rutland Court,
    Edinburgh EH3 8EY
   
Partners of Aberforth Limited Partnership IB

1. Aberforth LGP IB Limited, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS

 2. Aberforth Partners Assets LP I, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 3. Aberforth Special LP IA, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 4. Aberforth Special LP IB, 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
   
 5. Bank of England Pension Fund, acting by BE Pension Fund Trustees Limited,
    Chief Investment Manager, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8AH
   
 6. Britel Fund Nominees Limited, Lloyds Chambers, 1 Portsoken Street, London
    E1 8HZ
   
 7. Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Limited as custodian for Hansa Fund PCC
    Limited, P.O. Box 25, Regency Court, Glategny Esplanade, St Peter Port,
    Guernsey GY1 3AP
   
 8. Forbes Limited, St Anastase, Mont de St Anastase, St Peter, Jersey, Channel
    Islands JE3 7ES
   
 9. Merseyside Pension Fund, Castle Chambers, 4/6 Cook Street, Liverpool L69
    2NW
   
10. The Scottish Investment Trust plc, 6 Albyn Place, Edinburgh RH2 4NL
   
11. Uberior Investments plc, The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ
   
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