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               10 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      104,399,041     4.73%      4,811,696     0.22%
securities
(2) Derivatives     4,825,045     0.22%      4,572,048     0.21%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             110,227,886     4.99%     10,136,519     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      9,882                 15.1324
Purchase      13,255                15.1541
Purchase      15,000                15.2129
Purchase      295,182               15.2716
Purchase      34,709                15.1336
Purchase      465                   14.9388
Purchase      741                   15.0286
Purchase      200                   15.1488
Purchase      9,600                 15.1916
Purchase      2,451                 14.9788
Purchase      12,655                15.1819
Purchase      21,016                15.9000
Purchase      31                    15.1383
Purchase      574                   15.4629
Purchase      1,329                 15.0286
Purchase      1,422                 16.2700
Purchase      459,235               15.1820
Purchase      2,700                 15.1300
Purchase      2,600                 15.2687
Purchase      115,265               15.2021
Purchase      3,062                 15.0286
Purchase      1,022                 15.0286
Purchase      169,371               15.2299
Purchase      76,777                15.1554
Purchase      480                   15.9000
Purchase      1,250                 15.0888
Purchase      29,312                15.2081
Sale          480                   15.9000
Sale          110,039               15.1600
Sale          86                    16.2917
Sale          540                   15.0418
Sale          40,546                15.1652
Sale          76                    15.1658
Sale          6,000                 15.2871
Sale          9,619                 14.9734
Sale          400                   15.1725
Sale          400                   15.0200
Sale          13,535                14.9700
Sale          463                   15.1317
Sale          106,963               15.0087
Sale          1,250                 15.0812
Sale          4,103                 15.0730
Sale          283                   Transfer
Sale          228                   Transfer
Sale          973                   15.2017
Sale          1,005                 15.1725
Sale          250                   15.1312
Sale          10,780                15.0225
Sale          600                   15.1725
Sale          167                   Transfer
Sale          82                    16.1617
Sale          100                   15.1725
Sale          350                   15.1725
Sale          103                   15.0423
Sale          3,045                 14.9700
Sale          166                   Transfer
Sale          167                   Transfer
Sale          5,268                 15.1503
Sale          600                   15.2912
Sale          300                   15.2912
Sale          101,545               14.9753

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         2255          15.0564
CFD            Short         2700          15.13
CFD            Short         9882          15.1323
CFD            Short         34709         15.1335
CFD            Short         76777         15.1553
CFD            Short         11000         15.174
CFD            Short         471890        15.1819
CFD            Short         9600          15.1915
CFD            Short         115265        15.2021
CFD            Short         29312         15.2081
CFD            Short         15000         15.2128
CFD            Short         2600          15.2687
CFD            Short         295182        15.2716
CFD            Short         289110        15.2778
CFD            Short         574           15.4629
CFD            Long          9619          14.9733
CFD            Long          101545        14.9753
CFD            Long          92392         15.0076
CFD            Long          14571         15.0151
CFD            Long          400           15.02
CFD            Long          10780         15.0225
CFD            Long          5268          15.1503
CFD            Long          110039        15.1599
CFD            Long          40546         15.1651
CFD            Long          6000          15.287

(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                         11 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