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               19 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      6,001,510     2.58%          998,241     0.43%
securities
(2) Derivatives     993,549     0.43%        2,420,529     1.04%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and           0     0.00%                0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total             6,995,059     3.01%        3,418,770     1.47%


(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      9,649                3.7852
Purchase      398,529              3.7735
Purchase      2,995                3.7950
Purchase      41,724               3.6227
Purchase      64,992               3.7868
Purchase      697                  3.7654
Purchase      383,175              3.7789
Purchase      21,751               3.7889
Purchase      3,755                3.7681
Purchase      398,529              3.7735
Purchase      5,705                3.3903
Purchase      50,000               3.7807
Purchase      5,705                3.3903
Purchase      8,635                3.7857
Purchase      819                  3.7831
Purchase      64,992               3.7868
Purchase      819                  3.7831
Purchase      271,967              3.7951
Sale          412,200              3.7837
Sale          383,175              3.7789
Sale          64,992               3.7868
Sale          5,705                3.3903
Sale          271,967              3.7940
Sale          697                  3.7650
Sale          398,529              3.7735
Sale          8,635                3.7850
Sale          819                  3.7831
Sale          41,724               3.6227
Sale          3,755                3.7678
Sale          50,000               3.7800
Sale          5,705                3.3900
Sale          3,286                3.7819
Sale          5,705                3.3903
Sale          21,751               3.7889
Sale          9,649                3.7852
Sale          9,649                3.7852


(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         41724                 3.6227
CFD        Short         697                   3.7653
CFD        Short         3755                  3.7681
CFD        Short         50000                 3.7806
CFD        Short         819                   3.7831
CFD        Short         8635                  3.7857
CFD        Short         64992                 3.7868
CFD        Short         21751                 3.7888
CFD        Short         271967                3.795
CFD        Long          5705                  3.3899
CFD        Long          29883                 3.5909
CFD        Long          6838                  3.5911
CFD        Long          228241                3.7869
CFD        Long          271967                3.794
CFD        Long          643102                3.7949


(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                         20 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