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 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      107,651,630     4.88%      3,203,081     0.15%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,120,559     0.14%      5,512,425     0.25%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,800     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             111,775,989     5.06%       9,468,281    0.43%

(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      7,875                 15.0919
Purchase      1,000,000             15.1000
Purchase      16,052                15.3423
Purchase      2,650                 15.1200
Purchase      20,000                15.4400
Purchase      15,794                15.1672
Purchase      1,850                 15.2011
Purchase      6,500                 15.0869
Purchase      450                   15.1188
Purchase      6,189                 15.0810
Purchase      323,231               15.1358
Purchase      54,894                15.1120
Purchase      314,887               15.1110
Purchase      17,430                15.1222
Purchase      102,149               15.1268
Purchase      6,269                 15.1149
Purchase      56,800                15.1198
Purchase      315,818               15.1654
Purchase      220                   Transfer
Purchase      50,902                15.2085
Purchase      64,800                15.0830
Purchase      1,054                 15.1794
Purchase      17,187                15.3400
Sale          1,500                 15.2312
Sale          235                   15.2412
Sale          21,128                15.3524
Sale          450                   15.1112
Sale          23,319                15.4164
Sale          3,673                 15.1512
Sale          1,155                 15.1900
Sale          26,872                15.2941
Sale          357                   14.9717
Sale          9,655                 15.1346
Sale          220                   Transfer
Sale          2,900                 15.1200
Sale          325                   15.1812
Sale          1,633                 15.3371
Sale          2,860                 15.2843
Sale          375                   15.1312
Sale          1,882                 15.1571
Sale          1,603                 15.1577
Sale          31,819                15.1195
Sale          781                   15.0617
Sale          276                   15.3617
Sale          190                   15.2025
Sale          73                    15.2117
Sale          82,174                15.3267
Sale          9,701                 15.0800
Sale          1,808                 15.1400
Sale          74,022                15.1042
Sale          1,100                 15.3955
Sale          3,400                 15.0289
Sale          289,285               15.0727
Sale          1,015                 15.3400

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         6337          15.0598
CFD            Short         64800         15.0829
CFD            Short         6500          15.0869
CFD            Short         7875          15.0919
CFD            Short         314887        15.111
CFD            Short         54894         15.1119
CFD            Short         6269          15.1149
CFD            Short         56800         15.1198
CFD            Short         17430         15.1222
CFD            Short         102149        15.1268
CFD            Short         314330        15.1299
CFD            Short         323231        15.1358
CFD            Short         315818        15.1654
CFD            Short         15794         15.1672
CFD            Short         44565         15.2295
CFD            Short         16052         15.3423
CFD            Long          3400          15.0289
CFD            Long          289285        15.0726
CFD            Long          74022         15.1041
CFD            Long          2900          15.12
CFD            Long          9655          15.1345
CFD            Long          1882          15.1571
CFD            Long          1603          15.1577
CFD            Long          2860          15.2842
CFD            Long          26872         15.294
CFD            Long          82174         15.3266
CFD            Long          1633          15.337
CFD            Long          21128         15.3523
CFD            Long          1100          15.3954
CFD            Long          23319         15.4164

(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                         14 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   500,000                9.5000           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   500                    1,650.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
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   -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                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008

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