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               03 March 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      103,440,027      4.69%     4,595,970     0.21%
securities
(2) Derivatives     4,585,144      0.21    % 4,429,086     0.20%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800      0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,028,971      4.94%      9,777,831    0.44%


(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      67,059                16.0313
Purchase      710                   15.9500
Purchase      305                   15.9088
Purchase      82,850                15.9753
Purchase      12,984                16.3000
Purchase      2,600                 16.2596
Purchase      14,195                15.9918
Purchase      45,870                15.9873
Purchase      1,030                 15.9300
Purchase      197,031               16.2894
Purchase      59                    16.0083
Purchase      95,505                16.1409
Purchase      501                   15.9924
Purchase      3,950                 16.0718
Purchase      19,800                16.0966
Purchase      14,169                16.2524
Purchase      8,726                 15.9975
Purchase      100,596               16.1582
Purchase      53,000                15.9605
Purchase      88                    15.9483
Purchase      51,432                16.0187
Purchase      500                   16.3561
Purchase      913                   16.2500
Purchase      63,000                15.9626
Sale          286,789               15.9931
Sale          9,173                 16.3000
Sale          11,498                16.0552
Sale          41,122                16.0387
Sale          23,895                16.2500
Sale          141                   16.3135
Sale          1,507                 Transfer
Sale          215,386               16.1141
Sale          7,515                 16.3000
Sale          145                   16.0317
Sale          286                   16.3000
Sale          53,000                15.9574
Sale          5,101                 16.2500
Sale          20,320                15.9200
Sale          80,558                16.3000
Sale          355                   15.8612
Sale          1,499                 15.9017
Sale          34,844                15.8917
Sale          2,030                 16.3000
Sale          161                   Transfer
Sale          2,428                 16.0400
Sale          821                   16.3000
Sale          24,218                16.3000
Sale          140                   16.2910
Sale          29,658                16.0361
Sale          12,984                16.3000
Sale          147,766               15.9217
Sale          79                    15.9535
Sale          584                   16.3000
Sale          286                   16.3000
Sale          82                    Transfer
Sale          12,984                16.3000
Sale          4,232                 16.3000
Sale          15,000                16.2986
Sale          500                   16.3712
Sale          6,928                 16.3000
Sale          10,000                15.9900
Sale          600                   15.8874
Sale          785                   16.3000
Sale          5,633                 16.2988
Sale          800                   15.8674

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1268          15.9295
CFD            Short         53000         15.9604
CFD            Short         82850         15.9753
CFD            Short         38769         15.9835
CFD            Short         45870         15.9873
CFD            Short         14195         15.9917
CFD            Short         501           15.9923
CFD            Short         8726          15.9974
CFD            Short         51432         16.0187
CFD            Short         67059         16.0312
CFD            Short         3950          16.0718
CFD            Short         19800         16.0965
CFD            Short         100596        16.1582
CFD            Short         56736         16.2483
CFD            Short         14169         16.2524
CFD            Short         2600          16.2596
CFD            Short         197031        16.2894
CFD            Short         500           16.3561
CFD            Long          800           15.8674
CFD            Long          600           15.8874
CFD            Long          34844         15.8916
CFD            Long          147766        15.9216
CFD            Long          286789        15.9931
CFD            Long          29658         16.036
CFD            Long          41122         16.0387
CFD            Long          11498         16.0552
CFD            Long          215386        16.1141
CFD            Long          15000         16.2985
CFD            Long          5633          16.2987

(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
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.


None

Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         04 March 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