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               30 July 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    109,754,618        4.97%     1,978,766     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives   2,259,414        0.10%    11,403,786     0.52%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     502,700        0.02%       751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total           112,516,732        5.10%    14,133,552     0.64%

(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           Price per unit
                        Securities          (GBP)
Purchase                38,106              16.8127
Purchase                832,810             16.7877
Purchase                2,912               16.7558
Purchase                427                 16.7700
Purchase                19,000              16.7700
Purchase                25,100              16.8595
Purchase                135,496             16.8363
Purchase                21,000              16.8649
Purchase                49,015              16.8485
Purchase                416,236             16.8000
Purchase                300                 16.8033
Purchase                416,236             16.8000
Purchase                6,357               16.7721
Purchase                144,506             16.7710
Purchase                86,867              16.7956
Purchase                892                 16.7727
Purchase                308                 16.7700
Purchase                2,999               16.7700
Purchase                4,473               16.7727
Purchase                278                 16.7700
Purchase                4,484               16.7700
Purchase                350                 16.8079
Purchase                2,712               16.7700
Sale                    138                 16.7921
Sale                    460                 16.7812
Sale                    251                 Transfer
Sale                    250                 16.7842
Sale                    892                 16.8873
Sale                    100,948             16.7867
Sale                    2,912               16.9426
Sale                    23,704              16.8351
Sale                    300                 16.8033
Sale                    570                 16.8900
Sale                    1,170               16.8900
Sale                    14,983              16.7707
Sale                    117,400             16.7788
Sale                    300                 16.7325
Sale                    500                 16.8012
Sale                    7,191               16.7977
Sale                    6,880               16.7962
Sale                    1,200               16.7812
Sale                    2,000               16.7907
Sale                    119                 16.7500
Sale                    11,659              16.7750
Sale                    24,114              16.7706
Sale                    33,395              16.8045
Sale                    35                  16.6021
Sale                    416,236             16.8000
Sale                    109                 16.7042
Sale                    85                  16.6921

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          24114         16.7706
CFD            Long          14983         16.7707
CFD            Long          10867         16.7734
CFD            Long          117400        16.7788
CFD            Long          28768         16.7822
CFD            Long          100948        16.7867
CFD            Long          2000          16.7907
CFD            Long          6880          16.7962
CFD            Long          7191          16.7976
CFD            Long          17744         16.8007
CFD            Long          300           16.8033
CFD            Long          33395         16.8045
CFD            Long          9360          16.8215
CFD            Long          23704         16.8351
CFD            Long          892           16.8872
CFD            Long          2912          16.9425
CFD            Short         2912          16.7557
CFD            Short         144506        16.7709
CFD            Short         6357          16.772
CFD            Short         5365          16.7726
CFD            Short         832810        16.7877
CFD            Short         86867         16.7956
CFD            Short         300           16.8033
CFD            Short         38106         16.8127
CFD            Short         37831         16.8151
CFD            Short         97665         16.8445
CFD            Short         49015         16.8484
CFD            Short         25100         16.8595
CFD            Short         21000         16.8649

(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                         31 July 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   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   750                    2,200.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008

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