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               31 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    109,850,877        4.98%     1,824,785     0.08%
securities
(2) Derivatives   2,105,520        0.10%    11,227,620     0.51%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     502,700        0.02%       751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total           112,459,097        5.10%    13,803,405     0.63%

(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                130,379             16.8816
Purchase                13,026              16.9300
Purchase                15,793              17.0985
Purchase                107,904             16.9282
Purchase                10,600              16.8200
Purchase                203                 16.9327
Purchase                2,401               16.9127
Purchase                92,572              17.1200
Purchase                23,143              17.1200
Purchase                3,763               16.9300
Purchase                2,000               17.1600
Purchase                4,000               16.8927
Purchase                77,828              17.0629
Purchase                62,000              16.9300
Purchase                14,421              16.9861
Purchase                31,939              16.9282
Purchase                900                 16.7806
Purchase                324,353             16.9210
Purchase                240                 17.0127
Purchase                25,700              16.8267
Purchase                48,785              16.9472
Purchase                1,742               16.9300
Purchase                12,004              16.9300
Purchase                187,282             16.9998
Purchase                26,302              16.9300
Purchase                21,790              16.9300
Purchase                222                 16.9300
Purchase                3,637               17.1292
Purchase                2,493               16.9300
Purchase                342                 16.9300
Purchase                200                 16.9300
Purchase                225                 17.2258
Purchase                1,640               16.9300
Purchase                694                 17.2013
Purchase                3,962               16.9300
Sale                    29,000              17.2700
Sale                    330,881             17.1166
Sale                    1,015               16.9300
Sale                    79,061              17.0795
Sale                    6,357               17.0342
Sale                    70                  16.7942
Sale                    70                  17.2342
Sale                    1,168               16.9000
Sale                    128,982             17.0529
Sale                    39,670              16.9300
Sale                    399                 16.8321
Sale                    22,233              17.0986
Sale                    25,700              16.8267
Sale                    5,027               16.9300
Sale                    190                 17.1300
Sale                    49                  16.7821
Sale                    9,247               16.9300
Sale                    224,547             17.1195
Sale                    1,027               16.9300
Sale                    112,842             16.8998
Sale                    57,725              16.9389
Sale                    11,630              17.2534
Sale                    1,048               16.9300
Sale                    208                 16.6642
Sale                    53                  16.8321
Sale                    1,746               16.9300
Sale                    3,530               16.9757
Sale                    150                 16.7812
Sale                    783                 33.3100 USD
Sale                    9,623               17.3022

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          25700         16.8267
CFD            Long          23700         16.9334
CFD            Long          57725         16.9388
CFD            Long          4407          16.9406
CFD            Long          3530          16.9757
CFD            Long          6357          17.0342
CFD            Long          128982        17.0529
CFD            Long          1335          17.0569
CFD            Long          79061         17.0794
CFD            Long          22233         17.0986
CFD            Long          330881        17.1165
CFD            Long          224547        17.1195
CFD            Long          38720         17.1209
CFD            Long          27456         17.2217
CFD            Long          11630         17.2534
CFD            Long          9623          17.3022
CFD            Short         900           16.7806
CFD            Short         10600         16.82
CFD            Short         25700         16.8267
CFD            Short         130379        16.8815
CFD            Short         4000          16.8927
CFD            Short         2401          16.9126
CFD            Short         324353        16.921
CFD            Short         31939         16.9281
CFD            Short         107904        16.9282
CFD            Short         203           16.9327
CFD            Short         48785         16.9471
CFD            Short         14421         16.986
CFD            Short         123764        16.999
CFD            Short         63518         17.0014
CFD            Short         240           17.0127
CFD            Short         77828         17.0628
CFD            Short         2000          17.16

(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                         01 August 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