Rule 8.3 - ABBOT GROUP

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              ABBOT GROUP
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.15
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               05 October 2007

2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)  Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                           Long                        Short

                     Number       (%)           Number       (%)

(1) Relevant       6,097,794    2.62%        2,491,286     1.07%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,535,384    1.09%        4,105,893     1.77%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0     0.00%               0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total              8,633,178     3.72%        6,597,179    2.84%


(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  Number             (%)    Number            (%)

(1) Relevant
securities

(2) Derivatives
(other than
options)

(3) Options and
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total


(c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:   Details



3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

(a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale Number of Securities Price per unit
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      841                  3.5385
Purchase      14,204               3.5200
Purchase      832                  3.5415
Purchase      991                  3.5719
Purchase      147                  3.5700
Purchase      10                   3.5070
Purchase      9,977                3.5381
Purchase      9,861                3.5111
Purchase      38,800               3.5019
Purchase      1,406                3.4990
Sale          3,529                3.5015
Sale          1,705                3.5350
Sale          585                  3.5340
Sale          345                  3.4960
Sale          2,000                3.5405
Sale          650                  3.5340
Sale          1,070                3.5330
Sale          5,380                3.5015
Sale          23,195               3.5220
Sale          2,000                3.5340
Sale          4,227                3.5750
Sale          13,061               3.5004
Sale          1,739                3.5141
Sale          500                  3.5010
Sale          400                  3.5240
Sale          11,000               3.5000
Sale          1,500                3.4940
Sale          1,200                3.4960
Sale          287                  3.5010

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product    Long/Short    Number of Securities  Price Per
name,      (Note 6)      (Note 7)              Unit (GBP)
e.g. CFD
CFD        Short         38800                 3.5018
CFD        Short         9861                  3.511
CFD        Short         9977                  3.5381
CFD        Long          13061                 3.5004
CFD        Long          1739                  3.5141
CFD        Long          23195                 3.5219
CFD        Long          3267                  3.5366

(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name,   Writing,          Number of          Exercise  Type, e.g.      Expiry   Option money
e.g. call       selling,          securities to      price     American,       date     paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option             European etc.            per unit (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)

(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)




(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)





4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of
any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or
relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any
relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.




Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 NO


Date of disclosure                         08 October 2007
Contact name                               BARCLAYS COMPLIANCE
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk