Holding(s) in Company

British Empire Sec & Gen Tst PLC
09 May 2006

                  NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST(S) IN SHARES



 1. Name of company

 BRITISH EMPIRE SECURITIES AND GENERAL TRUST PLC

 2. Name of shareholder having a major interest

AXA SA and Group Companies

 3. Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding
    of the shareholder named in 2 above, or in respect of a non-beneficial
    interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
    person's spouse or children under the age of 18

Shareholder named in 2 above

 4. Name of registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of
    shares held by each of them

HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited 4,480,000 shares

Smith & Williamson Nominees Limited 139,430 shares

BNY (OCS) Nominees Limited 70,272, shares

Sun Life International 91,409 shares

 5. Number of shares/amount of stock acquired

n/a

 6. Percentage of issued class

 n/a

 7. Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

Not disclosed

 8. Percentage of issued class

Not disclosed

 9. Class of security

 Ordinary Shares

10. Date of transaction

2 May 2006

11. Date company informed

8 May 2006

12. Total holding following this notification

4,781,111  shares

13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

 2.986%

14. Any additional information



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