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               04 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      103,661,232     4.70%      4,124,371     0.19%
securities
(2) Derivatives     4,113,544     0.19%      4,210,354     0.19%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             108,778,576     4.93%      9,087,500     0.41%


(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      311                   16.2727
Purchase      55,973                16.3400
Purchase      7,700                 16.2869
Purchase      8,000                 16.2931
Purchase      76,500                16.3234
Purchase      155,291               16.3390
Purchase      89                    15.9283
Purchase      531                   16.2500
Purchase      5,400                 16.3099
Purchase      445                   16.3555
Purchase      3,356                 16.2100
Purchase      797                   16.2131
Purchase      12,984                16.3000
Purchase      13,487                16.2603
Purchase      1,200                 16.3300
Purchase      419,834               16.3318
Purchase      3,316                 16.2799
Purchase      523                   16.2500
Purchase      2,004                 16.2799
Purchase      20,777                16.3088
Purchase      163,625               16.2381
Purchase      1,002                 16.1124
Purchase      164,472               16.3315
Purchase      1,402                 16.2799
Purchase      109,386               16.2855
Purchase      3,317                 16.1133
Purchase      1,758                 16.2799
Purchase      1,818                 16.2500
Purchase      653                   16.2799
Purchase      22,739                16.2100
Purchase      445                   16.3400
Sale          531                   16.2500
Sale          35,471                16.3096
Sale          350                   16.2612
Sale          7,173                 16.2812
Sale          381,016               16.3709
Sale          151                   16.2552
Sale          445                   16.3400
Sale          56,238                16.2411
Sale          1,818                 16.2500
Sale          36,600                16.3776
Sale          932                   16.1970
Sale          500                   16.3212
Sale          9,193                 16.3097
Sale          30,030                16.2806
Sale          77,626                16.2732
Sale          150                   16.3012
Sale          425                   16.3425
Sale          14,169                16.3054
Sale          7,965                 16.2100
Sale          1,818                 16.2995
Sale          175                   16.2325
Sale          95                    16.3535
Sale          1,517                 16.2806
Sale          523                   16.2500
Sale          1                     16.3300
Sale          13,328                16.3428
Sale          361                   16.4200
Sale          2,052                 16.2806
Sale          5,189                 16.3238
Sale          12,984                16.3000
Sale          174,052               16.3214
Sale          2,000                 16.4312
Sale          306                   Transfer
Sale          10,000                16.3319
Sale          79,351                16.3109
Sale          225                   16.2312
Sale          12,605                16.2806
Sale          730                   16.4512
Sale          391                   16.4200
Sale          320                   16.3335
Sale          634                   16.2806
Sale          368                   Transfer
Sale          400                   16.3312
Sale          57,722                16.2886


(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          16.1124
CFD            Short         113882        16.2071
CFD            Short         797           16.213
CFD            Short         13487         16.2603
CFD            Short         311           16.2727
CFD            Short         109386        16.2854
CFD            Short         7700          16.2868
CFD            Short         8000          16.293
CFD            Short         20777         16.3087
CFD            Short         49743         16.3089
CFD            Short         5400          16.3098
CFD            Short         76500         16.3233
CFD            Short         1200          16.33
CFD            Short         164472        16.3314
CFD            Short         419834        16.3317
CFD            Short         155291        16.3389
CFD            Short         55973         16.34
CFD            Long          932           16.1969
CFD            Long          56238         16.241
CFD            Long          77626         16.2731
CFD            Long          57722         16.2885
CFD            Long          14169         16.3053
CFD            Long          44664         16.3096
CFD            Long          79351         16.3108
CFD            Long          174052        16.3213
CFD            Long          5189          16.3237
CFD            Long          10000         16.3318
CFD            Long          13328         16.3428
CFD            Long          381016        16.3708
CFD            Long          36600         16.3775


(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                         05 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                    1,500.0000       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                    1,700.0000       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