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               26 February 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      105,590,864      4.78%     2,859,371     0.13%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,089,252      0.14%     4,357,225     0.20%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800      0.05%        752,775    0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,683,916      4.97%      7,969,371    0.36%

(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      48,630                16.3847
Purchase      1,120                 16.4600
Purchase      36,700                16.2164
Purchase      38,195                16.4800
Purchase      4,129                 16.4249
Purchase      123                   16.4183
Purchase      26,000                16.2666
Purchase      4,300                 16.4118
Purchase      450,000               14.0000
Purchase      4,134                 16.2680
Purchase      1,231                 16.4600
Purchase      1,002                 16.0724
Purchase      471,330               16.3211
Purchase      484                   Transfer
Purchase      22,600                16.1333
Purchase      410                   16.3775
Purchase      47,332                16.2665
Purchase      26,000                16.2635
Purchase      478,552               16.3673
Purchase      800                   16.0900
Purchase      32,695                16.2885
Purchase      32,000                16.0692
Purchase      150,632               16.2982
Sale          1,773                 16.1954
Sale          38,195                16.4800
Sale          32,000                16.0692
Sale          195                   16.4017
Sale          42,044                16.3820
Sale          674                   16.1300
Sale          30,100                16.3142
Sale          146                   16.3817
Sale          26,000                16.2635
Sale          12                    16.3635
Sale          400                   16.4612
Sale          146                   16.4035
Sale          3,000                 16.4169
Sale          1,868                 16.3319
Sale          52,120                16.4055
Sale          900                   16.3512
Sale          61                    16.4317
Sale          15,000                16.2500
Sale          300                   16.0512
Sale          13,551                16.4425
Sale          250                   16.4612
Sale          32,000                16.0692
Sale          172                   Transfer
Sale          764                   16.4769
Sale          60,310                16.4346
Sale          226                   Transfer
Sale          37,000                16.4800
Sale          24,390                16.4181

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)=
CFD            Short         1002          16.0724
CFD            Short         800           16.09
CFD            Short         36700         16.2164
CFD            Short         47332         16.2664
CFD            Short         26000         16.2665
CFD            Short         4134          16.2679
CFD            Short         9603          16.2684
CFD            Short         23092         16.2968
CFD            Short         150632        16.2982
CFD            Short         471330        16.3211
CFD            Short         478552        16.3672
CFD            Short         48630         16.3847
CFD            Short         4300          16.4118
CFD            Long          32000         16.0692
CFD            Long          674           16.13
CFD            Long          1868          16.3318
CFD            Long          4506          16.371
CFD            Long          42044         16.382
CFD            Long          52120         16.4054
CFD            Long          3000          16.4168
CFD            Long          45188         16.439
CFD            Long          10616         16.4423
CFD            Long          13551         16.4424
CFD            Long          764           16.4768

(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)
CALL            Purchase          500               19        EURO          18/12/2009     3
CALL            Sell              450               14        EURO          20/03/2008     0
PUT             Purchase          500               19        EURO          18/12/2009     4.45

(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                         27 February 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   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000       EURO           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   150                    1,500.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,650.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009

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