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               20 December 2007

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     109,331,925     4.90%     10,099,938     0.45%
securities
(2) Derivatives    6,780,415     0.30%      1,371,691     0.06%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,290,000     0.06%      1,758,299     0.08%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            117,402,340     5.26%     13,229,928     0.59%


(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           24,047                  14.9500
Purchase           2,400                   14.8915
Purchase           2,056                   14.9500
Purchase           178                     14.9400
Purchase           1,266                   14.9300
Purchase           211                     14.9400
Purchase           30,998                  14.9569
Purchase           4,815                   14.9769
Purchase           5,000                   14.8840
Purchase           911                     14.9300
Purchase           92                      15.0277
Purchase           983                     14.9400
Purchase           1,100                   14.9273
Purchase           326                     14.9500
Purchase           2,055                   14.9300
Purchase           170                     14.7988
Purchase           270                     14.7988
Purchase           79                      14.9400
Purchase           1,700                   14.9310
Purchase           2,998,743               14.9800
Purchase           1,528                   14.9500
Purchase           144                     14.9400
Purchase           5,524                   15.0985
Purchase           260                     15.0688
Purchase           11,184                  14.8613
Purchase           128                     14.9300
Purchase           1,586                   14.9300
Purchase           9,916                   14.8183
Purchase           748                     14.9400
Purchase           162                     14.9400
Purchase           1,588                   14.9500
Purchase           1,370                   14.9500
Purchase           2,208                   14.8908
Purchase           56,835                  14.8968
Purchase           139                     14.9500
Purchase           578                     14.9500
Purchase           584                     14.9400
Purchase           1,450                   14.9400
Purchase           32,000                  16.5000
Purchase           564                     14.9500
Purchase           620,839                 14.9427
Purchase           87                      14.9400
Purchase           7,366                   14.9300
Purchase           1,941                   14.9300
Purchase           165                     14.9400
Purchase           624                     14.9400
Purchase           185,189                 14.9128
Purchase           726                     14.9500
Purchase           270                     14.7988
Purchase           900                     14.9400
Purchase           550                     14.7988
Purchase           152,164                 14.9143
Purchase           150                     14.7988
Purchase           425                     14.7954
Purchase           170                     14.8088
Purchase           547                     14.9300
Purchase           367                     14.9300
Purchase           744                     14.9500
Purchase           914                     14.9100
Purchase           150                     14.7988
Purchase           104                     14.9754
Purchase           657                     14.8577
Purchase           4,043                   14.9500
Purchase           135                     14.7988
Purchase           1,021,288               14.9012
Purchase           1,432                   15.0294
Purchase           15,488                  15.0544
Purchase           689,781                 14.8973
Purchase           94,193                  14.9560
Purchase           400                     14.8975
Purchase           867,637                 14.8500
Purchase           300                     14.9400
Purchase           1,373                   14.9300
Purchase           14                      14.9400
Purchase           4,339                   14.9500
Purchase           914                     14.9400
Purchase           613                     14.9400
Purchase           257                     14.9400
Purchase           535                     14.9400
Purchase           3,500                   14.7983
Purchase           159                     14.9400
Purchase           94,000                  16.0000
Purchase           309                     14.9500
Purchase           985,419                 14.8997
Purchase           2,284                   14.9400
Purchase           150                     14.7988
Purchase           492,434                 14.8595
Purchase           404                     14.9400
Purchase           1,193                   14.9400
Purchase           35,869                  14.9451
Purchase           626                     14.9500
Purchase           2,019                   14.9400
Purchase           38,154                  14.9083
Purchase           200                     14.7988
Purchase           1,802                   14.9400
Purchase           912                     14.9400
Purchase           53                      14.9683
Purchase           2,055                   14.9300
Purchase           2,269                   14.9400
Purchase           21,168                  15.0021
Purchase           13                      14.9400
Purchase           217                     14.9400
Purchase           1,600                   14.8250
Purchase           1,388                   14.9400
Purchase           59                      14.9500
Purchase           2                       14.9400
Purchase           545                     14.9500
Purchase           135                     14.7988
Purchase           136                     14.9500
Purchase           1,432                   15.0300
Purchase           668                     14.8417
Purchase           3,993                   14.9300
Purchase           200                     14.7988
Purchase           43,021                  14.9337
Purchase           1,370                   14.9300
Purchase           332,428                 14.9606
Purchase           1,544                   14.9500
Purchase           1,827                   14.9400
Purchase           169                     14.9400
Purchase           1,000                   14.9400
Purchase           170                     14.8088
Purchase           885                     14.9500
Purchase           162                     14.9400
Purchase           3,197                   14.9400
Purchase           142                     14.9400
Purchase           644                     14.9500
Purchase           518                     14.9400
Purchase           1,432                   14.9500
Purchase           1,370                   14.9500
Purchase           7                       14.9400
Purchase           170                     14.9400
Purchase           2,284                   14.9300
Purchase           15,227                  14.9354
Purchase           35,869                  14.9423
Sale               748                     14.9400
Sale               326                     14.9500
Sale               217                     14.9400
Sale               1,266                   14.9272
Sale               311                     14.8000
Sale               545                     14.9500
Sale               3,993                   14.9300
Sale               1,941                   14.9300
Sale               257                     14.9400
Sale               14                      14.9400
Sale               2,400                   14.8900
Sale               518                     14.9400
Sale               425                     14.9712
Sale               8,849                   14.9300
Sale               1,528                   14.9500
Sale               1,600                   14.8250
Sale               1,500                   14.8812
Sale               1,370                   14.9300
Sale               24,047                  14.9500
Sale               5,154                   14.9300
Sale               5,000                   14.8818
Sale               21,168                  15.0021
Sale               1,193                   14.9400
Sale               3,500                   14.7983
Sale               1,100                   14.9244
Sale               2,703                   14.9300
Sale               144                     14.9400
Sale               1,802                   14.9400
Sale               668                     14.8402
Sale               2,055                   14.9300
Sale               1,370                   14.9500
Sale               7                       14.9400
Sale               9,916                   14.8168
Sale               185,189                 14.9099
Sale               547                     14.9300
Sale               1,700                   14.9310
Sale               152,164                 14.9143
Sale               4,043                   14.9500
Sale               30,998                  14.9556
Sale               5,524                   15.0969
Sale               1,100                   14.8012
Sale               1,432                   14.9500
Sale               2                       14.9400
Sale               726                     14.9500
Sale               584                     14.9400
Sale               4,339                   14.9500
Sale               159                     14.9400
Sale               367                     14.9300
Sale               13                      14.9400
Sale               492,434                 14.8595
Sale               38,154                  14.9083
Sale               128                     14.9300
Sale               626                     14.9500
Sale               15,488                  15.0544
Sale               1,450                   14.9400
Sale               67,600                  14.9475
Sale               689,781                 14.8946
Sale               108                     14.8424
Sale               300                     14.9400
Sale               620,839                 14.9427
Sale               535                     14.9400
Sale               2,269                   14.9400
Sale               1,544                   14.9500
Sale               358                     14.9800
Sale               11,184                  14.8585
Sale               1,827                   14.9400
Sale               165                     14.9400
Sale               2,055                   14.9300
Sale               2,208                   14.8908
Sale               1,432                   15.0300
Sale               644                     14.9500
Sale               624                     14.9400
Sale               3,197                   14.9400
Sale               35,869                  14.9423
Sale               2,284                   14.9400
Sale               309                     14.9500
Sale               56,835                  14.8955
Sale               900                     14.9400
Sale               162                     14.9400
Sale               914                     14.9100
Sale               564                     14.9500
Sale               138                     14.8000
Sale               744                     14.9500
Sale               332,428                 14.9579
Sale               914                     14.9400
Sale               87                      14.9400
Sale               43,021                  14.9322
Sale               1,700                   14.9310
Sale               1,000                   14.9400
Sale               4,815                   14.9741
Sale               2,019                   14.9400
Sale               179                     14.8417
Sale               911                     14.9300
Sale               15,227                  14.9325
Sale               54                      14.9117
Sale               59                      14.9500
Sale               170                     14.9400
Sale               404                     14.9400
Sale               211                     14.9400
Sale               2,998,743               14.9800
Sale               136                     14.9500
Sale               1,373                   14.9300
Sale               162                     14.9400
Sale               79                      14.9400
Sale               178                     14.9400
Sale               885                     14.9500
Sale               613                     14.9400
Sale               1,586                   14.9300
Sale               142                     14.9400
Sale               1,370                   14.9500
Sale               169                     14.9400
Sale               2,056                   14.9500
Sale               139                     14.9500
Sale               620,839                 14.9427
Sale               2,208                   14.8908
Sale               1,588                   14.9500
Sale               1,432                   15.0294
Sale               985,419                 14.8997
Sale               578                     14.9500
Sale               1,388                   14.9400
Sale               983                     14.9400
Sale               35,869                  14.9423
Sale               912                     14.9400


(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name  Long/Short  Number Of Securities  Price Per Unit
CFD           Short       3500                  14.7982
CFD           Short       9916                  14.8183
CFD           Short       1600                  14.825
CFD           Short       668                   14.8416
CFD           Short       5428                  14.8527
CFD           Short       2400                  14.8914
CFD           Short       9036                  14.8952
CFD           Short       689781                14.8972
CFD           Short       42371                 14.9028
CFD           Short       185189                14.9127
CFD           Short       15227                 14.9353
CFD           Short       35869                 14.9451
CFD           Short       4815                  14.9769
CFD           Short       15488                 15.0544
CFD           Long        11184                 14.8585
CFD           Long        5000                  14.8817
CFD           Long        38154                 14.9082
CFD           Long        152164                14.9143
CFD           Long        1100                  14.9244
CFD           Long        1266                  14.9271
CFD           Long        1700                  14.931
CFD           Long        43021                 14.9321
CFD           Long        23988                 14.9398
CFD           Long        332428                14.9578
CFD           Long        5296                  14.997
CFD           Long        1714                  15.0471
CFD           Long        5524                  15.0969


(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)
Put             Selling           94                 16        EURO           21/12/2007   0
Put             Selling           32                 16.5      EURO           21/12/2007   0


(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                         21 December 2007
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   250                     1,700.0000     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   -1,775                  1,600.0000     EURO         20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,250                  1,200.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -1,000                  1,500.0000     EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,000                  1,100.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -656                    1,600.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -650                    1,900.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -500                    1,400.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -500                    950.0000       EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                    950.0000       EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,000,000              15.0000        AMER         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   250                     1,600.0000     EURO         15/02/2008
Option            Purchased   500,000                 9.5000         EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                     1,550.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   450                     1,400.0000     EURO         20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                     1,600.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500                     1,500.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500                     1,400.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   500                     1,300.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   700                     1,400.0000     EURO         20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   1,000                   2,000.0000     EURO         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   250,000                 14.0000        AMER         20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                 14.0000        AMER         20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   285,000                 15.9000        AMER         21/12/2007
Option            Purchased   -468                    1,650.0000     EURO         21/12/2007


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