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               27 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      105,514,287      4.78%     3,188,755     0.14%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,349,821      0.15%     4,629,349     0.21%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800      0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,867,908      4.98%      8,570,879    0.39%

(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      200                   16.2900
Purchase      28,727                16.5207
Purchase      455                   16.6500
Purchase      1,400                 16.3700
Purchase      60,000                16.5690
Purchase      900                   16.4816
Purchase      5,000                 16.4831
Purchase      211,501               16.4777
Purchase      5,015                 16.6200
Purchase      400                   16.3700
Purchase      43,941                16.4730
Purchase      13,550                16.3656
Purchase      300                   16.5075
Purchase      164,514               16.5464
Purchase      5,000                 16.4800
Purchase      1,574                 16.6200
Purchase      58                    16.5227
Purchase      10,685                16.6200
Purchase      880                   16.3700
Purchase      4,561                 16.6200
Purchase      4,519                 16.5256
Purchase      200                   16.4888
Purchase      440                   16.3700
Purchase      146,446               16.5229
Purchase      800                   16.3700
Sale          47,224                16.5304
Sale          250                   16.4012
Sale          31                    16.4617
Sale          123                   16.6168
Sale          5,000                 16.4800
Sale          400                   16.3712
Sale          300                   16.3625
Sale          14,030                16.3595
Sale          300                   16.3912
Sale          75                    16.5812
Sale          135                   16.4012
Sale          5,381                 16.4539
Sale          441,842               16.4155
Sale          200                   16.3912
Sale          302                   Transfer
Sale          200                   16.3812
Sale          1,712                 16.4084
Sale          320                   16.3825
Sale          60,000                16.5690
Sale          218                   16.4210
Sale          17,376                16.5392
Sale          381                   16.5892
Sale          200                   16.3912
Sale          250                   16.3812
Sale          60,000                16.5659
Sale          80,000                16.6200
Sale          4,000                 16.4200
Sale          6,560                 16.3991
Sale          17,251                16.3991
Sale          300                   16.4712
Sale          300                   16.6025
Sale          7,523                 16.6200
Sale          14,109                16.4113
Sale          2,660                 16.4000
Sale          150                   16.4725
Sale          1,000                 16.3800

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)=
CFD            Short         7545          16.3972
CFD            Short         2365          16.4626
CFD            Short         43941         16.4729
CFD            Short         203956        16.4807
CFD            Short         900           16.4816
CFD            Short         5000          16.4831
CFD            Short         28727         16.5207
CFD            Short         58            16.5227
CFD            Short         146446        16.5228
CFD            Short         4519          16.5255
CFD            Short         164514        16.5464
CFD            Long          14030         16.3595
CFD            Long          1712          16.4083
CFD            Long          14109         16.4112
CFD            Long          441842        16.4155
CFD            Long          5667          16.4504
CFD            Long          47224         16.5304
CFD            Long          60000         16.5658
CFD            Long          11709         16.5821
CFD            Long          123           16.6168

(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                         28 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                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
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