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               22 January 2008

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        7,278,231     3.13%         16,545     0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives        16,095     0.01%        375,548     0.16%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and             0     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total               7,294,326     3.14%        392,093     0.17%


(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      26,698               3.7824
Purchase      9,139                3.7969
Purchase      55,876               3.7962
Purchase      7,440                3.8000
Purchase      36,475               3.7839
Purchase      61,156               3.7948
Purchase      96,770               3.7955
Purchase      7,441                3.7834
Purchase      96,770               3.7955
Purchase      10,000               3.7500
Purchase      7,440                3.7976
Purchase      26,698               3.7824
Purchase      7,982                3.7784
Purchase      3,810                3.7550
Purchase      9,139                3.7969
Purchase      26,013               3.7972
Purchase      3,150                3.7544
Sale          3,150                3.7544
Sale          36,475               3.7839
Sale          9,139                3.7964
Sale          7,441                3.7831
Sale          96,770               3.7955
Sale          26,698               3.7824
Sale          9,139                3.7969
Sale          7,440                3.7968
Sale          55,876               3.7962
Sale          36,475               3.7839
Sale          3,810                3.7550
Sale          7,982                3.7784
Sale          26,013               3.7972
Sale          7,440                3.7993
Sale          3,150                3.7544
Sale          61,156               3.7948
Sale          9,139                3.7969


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         26698         3.7824
CFD            Short         7441          3.7834
CFD            Short         55876         3.7962
CFD            Short         26013         3.7972
CFD            Short         7440          3.7975
CFD            Long          3150          3.7544
CFD            Long          3810          3.755
CFD            Long          7982          3.7783
CFD            Long          17243         3.7855
CFD            Long          9139          3.7964
CFD            Long          7440          3.799


(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                         23 January 2008
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
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