Rule 8.3 - BHP BILLITON PLC

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              BHP BILLITON PLC
Class of relevant security    USD0.50
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               17 July 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    109,653,762        4.97%     1,831,003     0.08%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,505,479        0.07%    10,581,678     0.48%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     502,700        0.02%       751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total           111,661,941        5.06%    13,163,681     0.60%


(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           Price per unit
                        Securities          (GBP)
Purchase                300                 16.2279
Purchase                70,500              16.4228
Purchase                2,118,245           16.2040
Purchase                350,018             16.1430
Purchase                1,016               16.3000
Purchase                5,238               16.0123
Purchase                178                 Transfer
Purchase                32,027              16.2493
Purchase                208,638             16.1946
Purchase                18,200              16.2008
Purchase                203                 Transfer
Purchase                13,060              16.2390
Purchase                363,246             16.1596
Purchase                1,893               16.0900
Purchase                1,893               16.1800
Purchase                997                 16.3055
Purchase                26,580              16.1434
Purchase                2,129               16.3055
Purchase                55,084              16.2881
Purchase                51                  Transfer
Purchase                26,491              16.3397
Purchase                3,000               16.2080
Sale                    8,000               16.4960
Sale                    7,555               16.4541
Sale                    23,000              16.3000
Sale                    1,893               16.0900
Sale                    148                 19.6220
Sale                    43,468              16.2677
Sale                    4,000               16.0400
Sale                    49,113              16.3911
Sale                    51                  Transfer
Sale                    56,345              16.2711
Sale                    280                 Transfer
Sale                    193                 15.9942
Sale                    7,081               16.2774
Sale                    534                 16.2200
Sale                    3,044               16.2774
Sale                    348                 16.3812
Sale                    1,000               16.3420
Sale                    57,173              16.3000
Sale                    689                 16.2000
Sale                    59,208              16.3000
Sale                    500                 16.1925
Sale                    87                  Transfer
Sale                    335                 16.4425
Sale                    5,125               16.2980
Sale                    34,450              16.3167
Sale                    87                  Transfer
Sale                    38,804              16.2461
Sale                    70,500              16.4228
Sale                    279                 16.2042
Sale                    220                 16.3300
Sale                    1,863               16.3874
Sale                    2,176               16.3241
Sale                    23,405              16.2220
Sale                    435                 16.4425

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          38804         16.246
CFD            Long          43468         16.2677
CFD            Long          56345         16.271
CFD            Long          5125          16.2979
CFD            Long          34450         16.3166
CFD            Long          2176          16.3241
CFD            Long          1863          16.3873
CFD            Long          49113         16.391
CFD            Long          70500         16.4227
CFD            Long          7555          16.454
CFD            Long          8000          16.496
CFD            Short         2027          15.8868
CFD            Short         5238          16.0122
CFD            Short         350018        16.143
CFD            Short         26580         16.1433
CFD            Short         363246        16.1595
CFD            Short         208638        16.1946
CFD            Short         18200         16.2008
CFD            Short         2118245       16.204
CFD            Short         3000          16.208
CFD            Short         6496          16.2132
CFD            Short         13060         16.2389
CFD            Short         32027         16.2493
CFD            Short         55084         16.2881
CFD            Short         70500         16.4227

(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)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         18 July 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

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM 8

DETAILS OF OPEN POSITIONS
(This form should be attached to Form 8.1, Form 8.1(b)(ii) or Form 8.3, as appropriate)

OPEN POSITIONS (Note 1)
Product name,     Written or  Number of securities   Exercise price   Type, e.g.     Expiry date
e.g. call option  purchased   to which the option    (Note 2)         American,
                              or derivative relates                   European etc.
Option            Purchased   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   750                    2,200.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008

Notes

1. Where there are open option positions or open derivative positions (except for CFDs), full details should be given.
Full details of any  existing agreements to purchase or to sell  should also be given on this form.

2. For all prices and other monetary amounts, the currency must be stated.

For details of the Code's dealing disclosure requirements, see Rule 8 and its Notes which can be viewed on the Takeover
Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk