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 December 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      8,058,758     3.47%        1,542,457     0.66%
securities
(2) Derivatives   3,848,903     1.66%        6,228,167     2.68%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0     0.00%                0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total            11,907,661     5.12%         7,770,624    3.34%


(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      2,678                3.3986
Purchase      2,500                3.4697
Purchase      1,000                3.3985
Purchase      2,500                3.4690
Purchase      340                  3.4622
Purchase      1,000                3.3270
Purchase      1,000                3.3960
Purchase      902                  3.2206
Purchase      35,287               3.2237
Purchase      17,931               3.2183
Purchase      17,931               3.2183
Purchase      64,140               3.3689
Purchase      2,500                3.4295
Purchase      17,931               3.2183
Purchase      15,712               3.4156
Purchase      2,500                3.4290
Sale          314                  3.5025
Sale          5,000                3.4360
Sale          34,000               3.4325
Sale          17,931               3.2183
Sale          7,978                3.5110
Sale          55,289               3.3762
Sale          17,931               3.2183
Sale          15,712               3.4756
Sale          1,000                3.2230

(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         17931                 3.2182
CFD        Short         902                   3.2206
CFD        Short         35287                 3.2237
CFD        Short         13569                 3.3093
CFD        Short         50571                 3.3849
CFD        Short         2678                  3.3985
CFD        Short         15712                 3.4156
CFD        Long          28759                 3.2183
CFD        Long          55289                 3.3761
CFD        Long          15712                 3.4755
CFD        Long          7978                  3.511

(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                         06 December 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