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               24 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     112,395,741      5.03%      6,437,962    0.29%
securities
(2) Derivatives    4,995,294      0.22%      1,214,154    0.05%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,002,150      0.04%        753,775    0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            118,393,185      5.30%       8,405,891   0.38%


(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           79,730                  15.6809
Purchase           46,475                  15.5804
Purchase           74,868                  15.6885
Purchase           79,730                  15.6809
Purchase           10,728                  15.7800
Purchase           200                     15.6408
Purchase           13,653                  15.5905
Purchase           111,406                 15.6503
Purchase           8,567                   15.5998
Purchase           28,455                  15.6025
Purchase           57                      15.2177
Purchase           4,862                   15.6082
Purchase           1,146                   15.6587
Purchase           15,134                  15.4000
Purchase           2,178                   15.4000
Purchase           159                     15.4177
Purchase           64,217                  15.6796
Purchase           11,858                  15.6449
Purchase           4,000                   15.6900
Purchase           26,050                  15.5446
Purchase           14,734                  15.6038
Purchase           39,825                  15.7800
Purchase           7,152                   15.7800
Purchase           10,728                  15.7800
Sale               725                     15.5535
Sale               28,455                  15.6010
Sale               130                     15.6525
Sale               443                     15.6000
Sale               111,406                 15.6503
Sale               13,653                  15.5905
Sale               4,000                   15.6872
Sale               1,146                   15.6587
Sale               15,134                  15.4000
Sale               11,858                  15.6449
Sale               26,050                  15.5446
Sale               39                      15.6135
Sale               1,118                   15.7800
Sale               2,178                   15.4000
Sale               4,862                   15.6068
Sale               471                     15.6000
Sale               14,734                  15.6024
Sale               8,567                   15.5998
Sale               1,118                   15.7800
Sale               1,146                   15.6587
Sale               74,868                  15.6857
Sale               64,217                  15.6796
Sale               424                     15.6000
Sale               400                     15.6025
Sale               111,406                 15.6503
Sale               79,730                  15.6809

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product Name  Long/Short  Number Of Securities  Price Per Unit
CFD           Short       4862                  15.6081
CFD           Short       74868                 15.6885
CFD           Long        10037                 15.5973
CFD           Long        28455                 15.6009
CFD           Long        4697                  15.6131
CFD           Long        64217                 15.6795
CFD           Long        4000                  15.6871

(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                         27 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   500,000                9.5000          EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000         AMER         20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000         AMER         20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000      EURO         20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,500.0000      EURO         15/02/2008
Option            Purchased   450                    1,400.0000      EURO         20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000      EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,600.0000      EURO         15/02/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000        EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000        EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,000                 1,500.0000      EURO         19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000      EURO         20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000         AMER         19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000          EURO         19/12/2008


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