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               07 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      103,539,967     4.69%      5,270,419     0.24%
securities
(2) Derivatives     5,114,877     0.23%      4,176,294     0.19%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,658,644     4.97%     10,199,488     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      44,408                16.8122
Purchase      13,413                15.9000
Purchase      2,400                 15.9946
Purchase      32,925                15.9000
Purchase      100,000               16.0329
Purchase      904                   Transfer
Purchase      5,000                 15.9000
Purchase      11,161                16.7820
Purchase      919                   16.1586
Purchase      98,296                16.1219
Purchase      201                   Transfer
Purchase      2,192                 16.0216
Purchase      49,740                16.0078
Purchase      9,660                 15.9874
Purchase      54,804                16.0781
Purchase      96,943                16.0020
Purchase      420,949               16.0652
Purchase      9,686                 16.4264
Purchase      22,275                16.0307
Purchase      966                   15.9000
Purchase      33,000                15.9512
Purchase      1,237                 15.9030
Purchase      8,002                 16.0009
Purchase      15,700                15.8507
Sale          23,895                15.9000
Sale          5,670                 16.3881
Sale          33,774                15.9666
Sale          150,926               16.0508
Sale          270                   16.1012
Sale          10,195                16.7713
Sale          600                   16.1600
Sale          3,288                 15.9000
Sale          1,600                 16.1712
Sale          20,291                16.2700
Sale          596,171               16.0868
Sale          814                   16.0600
Sale          119                   16.0383
Sale          2,328                 16.2553
Sale          70,110                15.9650
Sale          77,668                16.1429
Sale          200                   16.0925
Sale          15,146                15.9838
Sale          139,246               16.2852
Sale          201                   Transfer
Sale          459                   16.0383
Sale          39,158                15.9000
Sale          9,350                 15.9745
Sale          3,500                 16.1224
Sale          362                   16.0600
Sale          16,272                16.0002
Sale          15,839                16.0520
Sale          161,527               16.0155
Sale          32,931                16.7692
Sale          500                   15.9312
Sale          107,799               16.1001

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         15700         15.8507
CFD            Short         1237          15.903
CFD            Short         33000         15.9512
CFD            Short         9660          15.9874
CFD            Short         2400          15.9945
CFD            Short         8002          16.0008
CFD            Short         96943         16.002
CFD            Short         49740         16.0078
CFD            Short         2192          16.0216
CFD            Short         22275         16.0307
CFD            Short         420949        16.0652
CFD            Short         98296         16.1219
CFD            Short         9686          16.4263
CFD            Short         11161         16.782
CFD            Short         32000         16.803
CFD            Short         44408         16.8122
CFD            Long          70110         15.965
CFD            Long          33774         15.9666
CFD            Long          15146         15.9838
CFD            Long          16272         16.0001
CFD            Long          115278        16.0016
CFD            Long          46249         16.0501
CFD            Long          150926        16.0507
CFD            Long          15839         16.0519
CFD            Long          596171        16.0868
CFD            Long          107799        16.1
CFD            Long          3500          16.1224
CFD            Long          77668         16.1429
CFD            Long          600           16.16
CFD            Long          2328          16.2553
CFD            Long          139246        16.2851
CFD            Long          5670          16.3881
CFD            Long          32931         16.7691
CFD            Long          10195         16.7713
CFD            Long          80857         16.7988
CFD            Long          14915         16.8127

NB: The below transactions which were previously disclosed have been cancelled
Deal Date     Long/Short    Number of Securities    Price per unit (GBP)
06/03/2008    Short         32,000                  16.803
06/03/2008    Long          95,772                  16.801

(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                         10 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                    1,900.0000       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