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:   First notification under DTR
                                  sourcebook
An acquisition or disposal of     N/A
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 Bank plc
to the notification obligation    Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd
                                  Barclays Capital Securities Ltd
                                  Barclays Private Bank and Trust Ltd
                                  Barclays Private Bank Ltd
                                  Barclays Stockbrokers Ltd
                                  Gerrard Ltd
4. Full name of shareholder(s)    N/A
(if different from 3.):
5. Date of the transaction (and   8 March 2007
date on which the threshold is
crossed or reached if different):
6. Date on which issuer notified: 13 March 2007
7. Threshold(s) that is/are       N/A
crossed or reached:
8. Notified details:              N/A
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type     Situation             Resulting situation after the
of             previous to the       triggering transaction
shares         Triggering
if possible    transaction
using the
ISIN CODE
              Number     Number      Number   Number of voting     % of voting
              of         of          of       rights               rights
              Shares     Voting      Shares
                         Rights
                                              Direct   Indirect  Direct  Indirect
Ordinary   5,146,742  5,146,742   5,140,032        0  5,140,032       0     5.20%
1p Shares
GB0000066554
554

B: Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
Type of    Expiration  Exercise/    Number of voting       % of voting
financial  date        Conversion   rights that may be     rights
instrument             Period/      acquired if the
                       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
5,140,032                    5.40%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting
rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if
applicable

See 4 above

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
13. Additional information:            N/A
14. Contact name:                      David Holland, Aberforth
                                       Partners LLP, Secretaries
15. Contact telephone number           0131-220-0733