Holding(s) in Company

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES
1.Identity of the issuer or the   Aberforth Smaller Companies
underlying issuer of existing     Trust plc
shares to which voting rights are
attached:
2. Reason for the notification:
An acquisition or disposal of     Yes
voting rights
An acquisition or disposal of     N/A
financial instruments which may
result in the acquisition of
shares already issued to which
voting rights are attached
An event changing the breakdown   N/A
of voting rights
Other (please specify):           N/A

3. Full name of person(s) subject Barclays PLC
to the notification obligation
4. Full name of shareholder(s)    Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd
(if different from 3.):           Barclays Global Investors Ltd
                                  Barclays Private Bank and Trust
                                  Ltd
                                  Barclays Private Bank Ltd
                                  Barclays Bank (Suisse) SA
                                  Gerrard Investment Management
                                  Ltd

5. Date of the transaction (and   14 August 2009
date on which the threshold is
crossed or reached if different):
6. Date on which issuer notified: 19 August 2009
7. Threshold(s) that is/are       5%,4%
crossed or reached:
8. Notified details:
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/typ  Situation            Resulting situation after the triggering
e of       previous to the                    transaction
shares     Triggering
if         transaction
possible
using the
ISIN CODE
           Number     Number     Number        Number of       % of voting
           of         of         of             voting           rights
           Shares     Voting     Shares         rights
                      Rights
                                            Direct Indirect   Direct  Indirect

Ordinary   4,841,065  4,841,065  3,817,691  0      3,817,691  0       3.94%
1p Shares
GB0000066554


B: Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
Type of   Expirat  Exercise/   Number of voting       % of voting
financial ion      Conversion  rights that may be     rights
instrumen date     Period/     acquired if the
t                  Date        instrument is
                               exercised/ converted.
N/A       N/A      N/A         N/A                    N/A
Total (A+B)
Number of voting rights      % of voting rights
3,817,691                    3.94%
9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting
rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if
applicable
Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd
Barclays Global Investors Ltd
Barclays Private Bank and Trust Ltd
Barclays Private Bank Ltd
Barclays Bank (Suisse) SA
Gerrard Investment Management Ltd


Proxy Voting:
10. Name of the proxy holder:          N/A
11. Number of voting rights proxy      N/A
holder will cease to hold:
12. Date on which proxy holder will    N/A
cease to hold voting rights:

13. Additional information:            As a consequence of the
                                       total holding falling
                                       below 5% Barclays no
                                       longer require to include
                                       in their notification
                                       holdings held by certain
                                       Barclays business areas
                                       with the result this
                                       notification does not
                                       represent an economic
                                       disposal of voting rights
                                       by Barclays to the extent
                                       reflected in section 8.
14. Contact name:                      David Holland, Aberforth
                                       Partners LLP, Secretaries
15. Contact telephone number           0131-220-0733