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               14 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      106,611,839     4.83%      3,333,347     0.15%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,208,654     0.15%      4,672,763     0.21%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,003,800      0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             110,824,293     5.02%      8,758,885     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                38,676                  15.86
Purchase                126                     Transfer
Purchase                965                     15.655
Purchase                46,703                  15.9
Purchase                1,374                   15.655
Purchase                851                     15.9
Purchase                7,498                   15.7841
Purchase                20,874                  15.34
Purchase                610                     15.7775
Purchase                47,380                  15.8798
Purchase                15,278                  15.558
Purchase                25,944                  15.707
Purchase                62                      Transfer
Purchase                8,136                   15.805
Purchase                93,828                  15.7473
Purchase                500                     15.7588
Purchase                40                      15.34
Purchase                1,455                   15.655
Purchase                15,453                  15.9
Purchase                57,401                  15.8202
Purchase                20,834                  15.9
Purchase                7,025                   15.7293
Purchase                2                       Transfer
Purchase                2,711                   15.655
Purchase                3,696                   15.655
Purchase                900                     15.1125
Purchase                300                     15.8792
Purchase                352,263                 15.8419
Purchase                93,497                  15.7076
Purchase                3,871                   15.9
Sale                    1,338                   15.75
Sale                    317                     15.71
Sale                    1,561                   15.72
Sale                    670                     15.73
Sale                    471                     15.7
Sale                    2,453                   15.72
Sale                    736                     15.87
Sale                    210,258                 15.8409
Sale                    892                     15.74
Sale                    440                     15.75
Sale                    126                     Transfer
Sale                    2,511                   15.73
Sale                    145                     15.72
Sale                    345                     15.75
Sale                    342                     15.72
Sale                    2,230                   15.73
Sale                    99                      15.7
Sale                    143                     15.74
Sale                    5,712                   15.9
Sale                    1,562                   15.71
Sale                    1,000                   15.74
Sale                    282                     15.74
Sale                    553                     15.75
Sale                    1,650                   15.78
Sale                    1,038                   15.75
Sale                    39,880                  15.9
Sale                    1,759                   15.7
Sale                    892                     15.72
Sale                    93,828                  15.7473
Sale                    551                     15.71
Sale                    827                     15.87
Sale                    381,463                 15.7956
Sale                    63                      15.7817
Sale                    1,338                   15.72
Sale                    8,000                   15.55
Sale                    15,453                  15.9
Sale                    1,115                   15.73
Sale                    1,115                   15.74
Sale                    30,627                  15.9
Sale                    514                     15.75
Sale                    1,116                   15.85
Sale                    2                       Transfer
Sale                    120                     15.85
Sale                    1,563                   15.75
Sale                    10,766                  15.6882
Sale                    1,253                   15.73
Sale                    16,052                  15.7956
Sale                    12,297                  15.6651
Sale                    6,302                   15.9
Sale                    5,385                   15.75
Sale                    250                     15.6125
Sale                    892                     15.75
Sale                    60,000                  15.85
Sale                    800                     15.74
Sale                    64                      15.872
Sale                    409,757                 15.7922
Sale                    893                     15.75
Sale                    547                     15.75
Sale                    3,338                   15.74
Sale                    104,126                 15.7814
Sale                    20,874                  15.34
Sale                    175                     15.6312
Sale                    64,369                  15.8601
Sale                    345                     15.72
Sale                    2,456                   15.75
Sale                    893                     15.74
Sale                    2,008                   15.75
Sale                    345                     15.74
Sale                    1,116                   15.86
Sale                    1,505                   15.71
Sale                    345                     15.74
Sale                    345                     15.74
Sale                    150                     15.87
Sale                    32                      15.74
Sale                    300                     15.8725
Sale                    600                     15.8174
Sale                    1,747                   15.73
Sale                    345                     15.72
Sale                    2,175                   15.78
Sale                    747                     15.72
Sale                    315                     15.74
Sale                    2,677                   15.73
Sale                    10,201                  15.655
Sale                    7,186                   15.7959
Sale                    77                      15.76
Sale                    166                     15.73
Sale                    1,115                   15.73
Sale                    1,083                   15.74
Sale                    892                     15.75
Sale                    1,055                   15.77
Sale                    54,375                  15.7924
Sale                    190                     15.75
Sale                    703                     15.78
Sale                    1,239                   15.7
Sale                    20,834                  15.9
Sale                    892                     15.75
Sale                    893                     15.72
Sale                    345                     15.75
Sale                    220                     15.6617
Sale                    892                     15.73
Sale                    54,587                  15.8149
Sale                    345                     15.74
Sale                    894                     15.86
Sale                    966                     15.87
Sale                    429                     15.6717
Sale                    73,786                  15.818
Sale                    125                     15.77
Sale                    630                     15.8725
Sale                    893                     15.75
Sale                    1,340                   15.85
Sale                    547                     15.72
Sale                    202                     15.74
Sale                    1,562                   15.72
Sale                    65,805                  15.5053
Sale                    345                     15.74
Sale                    562                     15.76
Sale                    1,014                   15.73
Sale                    1,117                   15.86
Sale                    1,340                   15.86
Sale                    40                      15.34
Sale                    62                      Transfer
Sale                    2,010                   15.82
Sale                    275                     15.85
Sale                    2,903                   15.75
Sale                    825                     15.75
Sale                    893                     15.85
Sale                    350                     15.85
Sale                    2,457                   15.75
Sale                    547                     15.71
Sale                    408                     15.71
Sale                    894                     15.77
Sale                    33,847                  15.8135
(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         900           15.1125
CFD            Short         15278         15.5579
CFD            Short         25944         15.707
CFD            Short         93497         15.7075
CFD            Short         7025          15.7292
CFD            Short         7498          15.784
CFD            Short         57401         15.8202
CFD            Short         352263        15.8418
CFD            Short         38676         15.86
CFD            Short         47380         15.8798
CFD            Long          65805         15.5053
CFD            Long          10766         15.6882
CFD            Long          44257         15.7425
CFD            Long          93828         15.7472
CFD            Long          409757        15.7921
CFD            Long          54375         15.7923
CFD            Long          381463        15.7955
CFD            Long          16052         15.7956
CFD            Long          59869         15.81
CFD            Long          33847         15.8134
CFD            Long          54587         15.8148
CFD            Long          600           15.8174
CFD            Long          73786         15.8179
CFD            Long          210258        15.8409
CFD            Long          64369         15.86

(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                         17 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