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               06 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      7,952,008     3.42%        1,511,714     0.65%
securities
(2) Derivatives   3,966,741     1.71%        6,305,207     2.71%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0     0.00%                0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total            11,918,749     5.13%         7,816,921    3.36%


(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      4,990                3.5225
Purchase      4,990                3.5225
Purchase      4,900                3.5225
Purchase      1,300                3.4392
Purchase      420                  3.5197
Purchase      1,300                3.5222
Purchase      276                  3.5785
Purchase      3,800                3.5225
Purchase      4,900                3.5075
Purchase      4,999                3.5225
Purchase      5,000                3.5225
Purchase      386                  3.4381
Purchase      6,555                3.5302
Purchase      21,197               3.5489
Purchase      27,184               3.5144
Purchase      15,284               3.5017
Purchase      6,434                3.4907
Purchase      386                  3.4381
Purchase      21,197               3.5489
Sale          1,482                3.4700
Sale          576                  3.5445
Sale          386                  3.4381
Sale          714                  3.5405
Sale          21,197               3.5489
Sale          434                  3.5180
Sale          36,418               3.5457
Sale          950                  3.5280
Sale          2,000                3.5260
Sale          500                  3.4905
Sale          11,498               3.5201
Sale          525                  3.5220
Sale          15,712               3.5368
Sale          28,321               3.5010
Sale          21,385               3.5333
Sale          100,000              3.5185
Sale          150                  3.5130

(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         386                   3.4381
CFD        Short         6434                  3.4906
CFD        Short         15284                 3.5016
CFD        Short         27184                 3.5144
CFD        Short         6555                  3.5302
CFD        Short         21197                 3.5489
CFD        Long          28321                 3.501
CFD        Long          11498                 3.52
CFD        Long          21385                 3.5332
CFD        Long          15712                 3.5368
CFD        Long          40922                 3.549

(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                         07 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