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               11 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      5,959,133     2.56%        1,400,288     0.60%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,403,124     0.60%        3,761,630     1.62%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0     0.00%                0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total             7,362,257     3.17%        5,161,918     2.22%


(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      17,057               3.3737
Purchase      1,223                3.3788
Purchase      9,025                3.3883
Purchase      26,132               3.3729
Purchase      17,057               3.3737
Sale          3,179                3.3600
Sale          1,404                3.3964
Sale          17,057               3.3737
Sale          35,451               3.3727
Sale          1,223                3.4344
Sale          1,386                3.3754
Sale          19,064               3.3762

NB: The below transactions which were previously disclosed have been cancelled
Deal Date   Purchase/Sale  Number of Securities  Price per unit (GBP)
10/12/2007  Sale           1,067                 3.4000

(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         26132                 3.3728
CFD        Short         17057                 3.3737
CFD        Short         1223                  3.3788
CFD        Short         9025                  3.3883
CFD        Long          3179                  3.36
CFD        Long          13074                 3.3719
CFD        Long          29709                 3.3738
CFD        Long          5990                  3.3854
CFD        Long          1223                  3.4343


(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                         12 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