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               13 December 2007

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     110,547,955     5.01%      7,456,519    0.34%
securities
(2) Derivatives    4,805,820     0.22%      1,111,298    0.05%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,290,000     0.06%      1,758,425    0.08%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            116,643,775     5.28%     10,326,242    0.47%


(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           1,950                   15.9303
Purchase           16,697                  16.0251
Purchase           650                     15.9326
Purchase           20,832                  16.3964
Purchase           30,203                  16.0583
Purchase           1,897                   15.8713
Purchase           10,712                  15.7000
Purchase           7,660                   15.7000
Purchase           17,190                  15.7000
Purchase           7,366                   15.7000
Purchase           22,071                  16.2002
Purchase           4,193                   15.7000
Purchase           33,064                  15.9993
Purchase           171,324                 16.0153
Purchase           3,240                   15.8179
Purchase           168,852                 16.0074
Purchase           125,419                 16.0178
Purchase           2,336                   15.7030
Purchase           10,000                  16.3700
Purchase           1,400                   16.2273
Purchase           22,071                  16.1971
Purchase           18,415                  15.7000
Purchase           1,168                   16.4100
Purchase           73                      16.4354
Purchase           1,168                   16.4100
Purchase           650                     15.9326
Sale               173,000                 15.7000
Sale               217,233                 16.0542
Sale               70                      15.9023
Sale               396,873                 16.1663
Sale               17,780                  15.8530
Sale               12,000                  16.3951
Sale               8,800                   15.7000
Sale               1,400                   16.2273
Sale               22,071                  16.1971
Sale               786                     15.9100
Sale               650                     15.9326
Sale               20,124                  15.8137
Sale               1,400                   16.2273
Sale               300                     16.2012
Sale               10,000                  16.3669
Sale               763                     15.7000
Sale               21,891                  16.1794
Sale               10,000                  16.3700
Sale               37,000                  16.3965
Sale               450                     15.8800
Sale               1,168                   16.4100
Sale               29,474                  15.9989
Sale               24,200                  15.9292
Sale               120,664                 16.0324
Sale               7,382                   15.7000


(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name  Long/Short  Number Of Securities  Price Per Unit
CFD           Short       2336                  15.7029
CFD           Short       1897                  15.8712
CFD           Short       1950                  15.9303
CFD           Short       650                   15.9326
CFD           Short       8731                  15.9869
CFD           Short       33064                 15.9992
CFD           Short       168852                16.0074
CFD           Short       171324                16.0152
CFD           Short       125419                16.0178
CFD           Short       30203                 16.0583
CFD           Short       7966                  16.0669
CFD           Short       22071                 16.2001
CFD           Long        20124                 15.8137
CFD           Long        17780                 15.8529
CFD           Long        24200                 15.9292
CFD           Long        8489                  15.9443
CFD           Long        29474                 15.9989
CFD           Long        120664                16.0323
CFD           Long        217233                16.0542
CFD           Long        396873                16.1663
CFD           Long        1400                  16.2273
CFD           Long        13402                 16.3282
CFD           Long        10000                 16.3668


(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(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
None

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.




Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         14 December 2007
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   -650                   1,900.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   1,000                  2,000.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000         AMER        20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000         AMER        20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   285,000                15.9000         AMER        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500,000                9.5000          EURO        19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,000,000             15.0000         AMER        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000          EURO        19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000         AMER        19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000      EURO        20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,250                 1,200.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -1,000                 1,100.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000      EURO        20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   -750                   1,600.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500                    1,500.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000        EURO        19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000        EURO        19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   1,400.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -500                   1,650.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000      EURO        19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,600.0000      EURO        15/02/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,550.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   450                    1,400.0000      EURO        20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,300.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500                    1,400.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500                    1,600.0000      EURO        21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -1,000                 1,500.0000      EURO        19/12/2008


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