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               11 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      105,953,724     4.80%      3,284,099     0.15%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,309,087     0.15%      4,879,589     0.22%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             110,266,611     5.00%      8,916,463     0.40%

(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      8,707                 15.0113
Purchase      904,905               15.0355
Purchase      6,900                 14.8699
Purchase      650                   15.1088
Purchase      2,499                 14.9000
Purchase      16,724                14.9022
Purchase      395                   14.9688
Purchase      21,180                14.9646
Purchase      1,308                 14.6378
Purchase      245                   15.1400
Purchase      136,000               15.1400
Purchase      2,389                 14.9000
Purchase      184,549               14.8039
Purchase      7,714                 14.9245
Purchase      1,371                 14.9028
Purchase      51                    14.9680
Purchase      117,222               14.9034
Purchase      206                   15.2183
Purchase      3,341                 14.9000
Purchase      166                   14.9288
Purchase      101,545               14.9607
Purchase      563                   15.2683
Purchase      395,368               14.8413
Purchase      12,876                14.7750
Purchase      7,374                 14.9176
Purchase      158,128               14.9458
Purchase      172,119               14.8696
Purchase      19,733                15.0724
Purchase      184,879               14.9308
Purchase      15,000                14.9000
Purchase      26,179                15.0472
Purchase      20,188                14.9033
Sale          3,361                 14.7700
Sale          85                    15.2617
Sale          650                   14.9412
Sale          54,804                14.9000
Sale          120,146               14.9604
Sale          37,982                14.8997
Sale          500                   14.9308
Sale          14,930                15.1070
Sale          70,462                14.8537
Sale          132                   15.1517
Sale          2,347                 15.0345
Sale          299                   15.1817
Sale          901                   14.9565
Sale          158,128               14.9459
Sale          12,876                14.7750
Sale          9,747                 14.9972
Sale          23,895                14.9000
Sale          9,632                 15.0302
Sale          300                   14.9308
Sale          232,387               15.0810
Sale          113,673               15.0633
Sale          12,876                14.7750
Sale          20,334                15.0337
Sale          669                   14.9050
Sale          6,775                 14.9590
Sale          344                   15.0100
Sale          250                   14.8612
Sale          7,965                 14.9000
Sale          4,000                 15.0037
Sale          368                   15.2010
Sale          169                   15.0935

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         1308          14.6377
CFD            Short         184549        14.8039
CFD            Short         395368        14.8412
CFD            Short         172119        14.8695
CFD            Short         6900          14.8699
CFD            Short         16724         14.9022
CFD            Short         1371          14.9028
CFD            Short         20188         14.9033
CFD            Short         117222        14.9034
CFD            Short         7374          14.9175
CFD            Short         7714          14.9245
CFD            Short         64295         14.9286
CFD            Short         120584        14.9319
CFD            Short         101545        14.9607
CFD            Short         21180         14.9646
CFD            Short         8707          15.0112
CFD            Short         904905        15.0354
CFD            Short         19733         15.0723
CFD            Short         136000        15.14
CFD            Long          60482         14.8464
CFD            Long          70462         14.8536
CFD            Long          6775          14.959
CFD            Long          9747          14.9972
CFD            Long          4000          15.0037
CFD            Long          17458         15.0242
CFD            Long          9632          15.0301
CFD            Long          20334         15.0336
CFD            Long          2347          15.0345
CFD            Long          96215         15.0703
CFD            Long          232387        15.0809
CFD            Long          14930         15.107

(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                         12 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   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
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   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000       EURO           20/06/2008
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   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       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