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               06 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      103,990,591     4.71%      5,358,315     0.24%
securities
(2) Derivatives     5,112,123     0.23%      4,787,593     0.22%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             110,106,514     4.99%      10,898,683    0.49%

(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      6,978                 16.2200
Purchase      21,165                16.8000
Purchase      82                    Transfer
Purchase      256,491               16.8264
Purchase      650                   16.7275
Purchase      20,817                16.8201
Purchase      112                   16.8365
Purchase      273                   16.8690
Purchase      32,000                16.8031
Purchase      3,397                 16.7754
Purchase      134,260               16.8260
Purchase      776                   16.6600
Purchase      1,002                 16.7025
Purchase      50,717                16.6710
Purchase      12,015                16.9064
Purchase      275                   Transfer
Purchase      1,200                 16.8778
Purchase      230                   16.8388
Purchase      5,000                 16.7432
Purchase      7,523                 16.8000
Sale          221                   16.7017
Sale          3,059                 16.3817
Sale          750                   16.7116
Sale          244                   16.3817
Sale          100                   16.8912
Sale          13,600                16.7889
Sale          450                   16.7712
Sale          1,192                 16.8000
Sale          3,733                 Transfer
Sale          132                   16.3817
Sale          300                   16.7225
Sale          19,856                16.7976
Sale          76,212                16.8071
Sale          500                   16.7920
Sale          150                   16.7712
Sale          107                   16.3817
Sale          140,231               16.7550
Sale          1,811                 16.8000
Sale          120                   16.3817
Sale          95,772                16.8010
Sale          200                   16.8125
Sale          770                   16.8825
Sale          400                   16.7112
Sale          1,051                 16.7231
Sale          356                   16.8200
Sale          33,900                16.6655
Sale          350                   16.8125
Sale          29,596                16.7224
Sale          140                   16.7925
Sale          100                   16.8225
Sale          240,847               16.7851
Sale          300                   16.7812
Sale          1,651                 16.7983
Sale          83,000                16.7900
Sale          244                   16.8200
Sale          250                   16.3817
Sale          350                   16.8125
Sale          5,491                 16.7736
Sale          350                   16.7825
Sale          86                    16.3817
Sale          275                   Transfer
Sale          255                   16.7812
Sale          627                   Transfer
Sale          950                   16.3817
Sale          300                   16.7116
Sale          290                   16.7112
Sale          350                   16.7925
Sale          17,891                16.8149
Sale          14,466                16.7958
Sale          7,431                 16.8106
Sale          926                   16.7116
Sale          1,170                 16.3817
Sale          59,498                16.8101
Sale          400                   16.7925

(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          16.7025
CFD            Short         5000          16.7431
CFD            Short         32000         16.803
CFD            Short         20817         16.82
CFD            Short         134260        16.826
CFD            Short         256491        16.8264
CFD            Short         1200          16.8778
CFD            Short         12015         16.9064
CFD            Long          140231        16.755
CFD            Long          5491          16.7736
CFD            Long          240847        16.785
CFD            Long          13600         16.7888
CFD            Long          14466         16.7957
CFD            Long          19856         16.7976
CFD            Long          1651          16.7983
CFD            Long          95772         16.801
CFD            Long          76212         16.807
CFD            Long          59498         16.81
CFD            Long          17891         16.8148

(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                         07 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                    1,650.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
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