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               05 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      104,305,627     4.73%      4,853,803     0.22%
securities
(2) Derivatives     4,720,207     0.21%      4,618,407     0.21%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             110,029,634     4.99%      10,224,985    0.46%

(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      218,307               16.4161
Purchase      103                   Transfer
Purchase      17,953                16.2200
Purchase      4,541                 16.3708
Purchase      1,658                 16.5700
Purchase      162                   Transfer
Purchase      41,733                16.2200
Purchase      309                   16.4410
Purchase      90,353                16.2888
Purchase      27,965                16.3590
Purchase      85,291                16.4825
Purchase      29,523                16.2548
Purchase      250                   16.1388
Purchase      81                    Transfer
Purchase      195                   16.2483
Purchase      95,521                16.3476
Purchase      1,800                 16.1950
Purchase      5,000                 16.3831
Purchase      262,989               16.2100
Purchase      12,248                16.2200
Purchase      3,506                 16.4321
Purchase      20,905                16.5700
Purchase      320                   16.3383
Purchase      20,800                16.1706
Purchase      625                   Transfer
Purchase      7,595                 16.3095
Purchase      691,675               16.2500
Purchase      9,800                 16.2419
Purchase      134,914               16.4455
Purchase      3,434                 16.1300
Purchase      1,403                 16.5525
Sale          1,941                 16.5450
Sale          66,808                16.2119
Sale          11,735                16.3900
Sale          1,002                 16.3875
Sale          2,168                 16.3669
Sale          730                   16.3625
Sale          540,468               16.2857
Sale          257                   16.4266
Sale          4,629                 16.3100
Sale          300                   16.3425
Sale          1,261                 16.1300
Sale          653                   16.3700
Sale          103                   Transfer
Sale          400                   16.1412
Sale          3,506                 16.4321
Sale          180,592               16.2205
Sale          972                   16.1300
Sale          300                   16.3625
Sale          27,965                16.3590
Sale          107                   16.3517
Sale          5,224                 16.4901
Sale          1,201                 16.1300
Sale          94,804                16.3574
Sale          300                   16.4812
Sale          31,471                16.3696
Sale          400                   16.3416
Sale          1,209                 16.3800
Sale          81                    Transfer
Sale          245                   16.4266
Sale          3,771                 16.4169
Sale          198                   16.4266
Sale          93,206                16.3211
Sale          1,517                 16.5668
Sale          162                   Transfer
Sale          25,900                16.3035
Sale          47,548                16.3876

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         20800         16.1705
CFD            Short         1800          16.195
CFD            Short         5737          16.2386
CFD            Short         9800          16.2419
CFD            Short         29523         16.2547
CFD            Short         90353         16.2888
CFD            Short         95521         16.3475
CFD            Short         4541          16.3707
CFD            Short         5000          16.3831
CFD            Short         218307        16.416
CFD            Short         309           16.441
CFD            Short         134914        16.4455
CFD            Short         79554         16.5
CFD            Short         1403          16.5524
CFD            Long          180592        16.2205
CFD            Long          540468        16.2857
CFD            Long          25900         16.3035
CFD            Long          93206         16.3211
CFD            Long          2168          16.3668
CFD            Long          46548         16.3852
CFD            Long          1002          16.3875
CFD            Long          3771          16.4168
CFD            Long          1000          16.4985
CFD            Long          1517          16.5668

(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                         06 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                    1,700.0000       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                    1,650.0000       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   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