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               28 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      104,425,055      4.73%     4,075,866     0.18%
securities
(2) Derivatives     4,171,812      0.19%     4,487,959     0.20%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800      0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,600,667      4.97%     9,316,600     0.42%


(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      10,587                16.5200
Purchase      16,600                16.4575
Purchase      240                   16.4688
Purchase      200                   16.7188
Purchase      170                   16.4083
Purchase      48,837                16.5171
Purchase      75,016                16.5693
Purchase      159,239               16.6030
Purchase      800                   16.6375
Purchase      6,000                 16.4635
Purchase      17,242                16.4973
Purchase      100                   16.4431
Purchase      128,249               16.5400
Purchase      35,000                16.5000
Purchase      22,000                16.7323
Purchase      8,136                 16.5200
Purchase      40,145                16.4750
Purchase      8,500                 16.6027
Sale          200                   16.6625
Sale          57,000                16.5896
Sale          28,120                16.5200
Sale          300                   16.7125
Sale          176,573               16.6403
Sale          490                   16.6525
Sale          5,701                 16.5508
Sale          4,146                 16.5297
Sale          131,354               16.6038
Sale          39,825                16.5200
Sale          80,300                16.5493
Sale          21,680                16.6628
Sale          576                   16.5200
Sale          650                   16.5000
Sale          500                   16.6325
Sale          71                    16.4617
Sale          756                   16.5200
Sale          649,192               16.5801
Sale          98                    16.6335
Sale          40,987                16.6384
Sale          8,500                 16.6027
Sale          3,290                 16.5620
Sale          2,860                 16.6373
Sale          22,000                16.7291
Sale          868                   16.5169
Sale          218,412               16.6071
Sale          7,810                 16.5215
Sale          129,014               16.7624
Sale          3,583                 16.5125
Sale          180                   16.5117
Sale          3,221                 16.5200
Sale          8,500                 16.5968
Sale          80                    16.5617
Sale          17,456                16.5200
Sale          2,000                 16.7825


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         100           16.4431
CFD            Short         16600         16.4575
CFD            Short         6000          16.4635
CFD            Short         30145         16.4679
CFD            Short         2             16.4851
CFD            Short         10000         16.4964
CFD            Short         48837         16.517
CFD            Short         128249        16.54
CFD            Short         75016         16.5692
CFD            Short         159239        16.603
CFD            Short         30792         16.6253
CFD            Long          868           16.5168
CFD            Long          7810          16.5214
CFD            Long          80300         16.5493
CFD            Long          5701          16.5508
CFD            Long          3290          16.5619
CFD            Long          649192        16.5801
CFD            Long          131354        16.6037
CFD            Long          218412        16.607
CFD            Long          155923        16.6281
CFD            Long          2860          16.6373
CFD            Long          40987         16.6383
CFD            Long          22000         16.729
CFD            Long          20650         16.7318
CFD            Long          129014        16.7624


(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                         29 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   -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   250                    1,500.0000       EURO 18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER 19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO 18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO 19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO 18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,650.0000       EURO 20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO 18/12/2009
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   500,000                9.5000           EURO 19/12/2008
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