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 May 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     107,287,791       4.86%     2,619,705     0.12%
securities
(2) Derivatives    4,368,749       0.20%     3,460,841     0.16%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,002,450       0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            112,658,990       5.10%     6,833,321     0.31%


(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      10,768               20.9356
Purchase      250                  20.6963
Purchase      1,485                20.9198
Purchase      43,644               20.9779
Purchase      86,000               20.8781
Purchase      202,723              20.8552
Purchase      2,000                21.1706
Purchase      87,730               21.1800
Purchase      3,620                21.0055
Purchase      28,263               21.1800
Purchase      461                  20.6539
Purchase      673                  Transfer
Purchase      8,343                21.1455
Purchase      24,300               20.9356
Purchase      7,293                20.9356
Purchase      90,627               21.1901
Purchase      500                  21.1435
Purchase      4,530                21.0820
Purchase      15,878               21.1555
Purchase      280,824              20.8229
Purchase      3,138                20.8913
Purchase      4,804                20.8913
Purchase      8,874                20.8913
Purchase      2,852                20.8913
Purchase      15,631               20.8913
Purchase      6,432                20.8913
Purchase      21,260               20.8913
Purchase      991                  21.1800
Purchase      18,290               20.8913
Purchase      20,113               20.8913
Purchase      2,615                20.9197
Purchase      3,883                20.8913
Purchase      3,677                20.8913
Sale          15,854               20.8744
Sale          3,195                21.1800
Sale          130                  20.6317
Sale          12,004               21.1800
Sale          241                  21.0417
Sale          4,500                21.1100
Sale          55,700               20.9395
Sale          183                  21.1800
Sale          232                  21.0317
Sale          64                   20.6417
Sale          253                  20.6300
Sale          190                  21.1535
Sale          220                  20.7520
Sale          226,713              21.0228
Sale          579                  21.1800
Sale          673                  Transfer
Sale          5,055                21.1800
Sale          27,000               20.9149
Sale          1,800                20.9398
Sale          250                  20.8115
Sale          500                  21.1630
Sale          100                  20.8630
Sale          250                  21.1925
Sale          400                  20.9412
Sale          700                  20.8730
Sale          700                  20.8630
Sale          350                  20.8512
Sale          210                  21.2412
Sale          200                  20.8630
Sale          200                  20.7815
Sale          353                  21.1800
Sale          248                  21.1800
Sale          159                  20.6717
Sale          500                  21.1116
Sale          1,256                20.8805
Sale          338,966              20.9889
Sale          50,244               20.9687
Sale          19,053               20.9895
Sale          221,696              20.3855
Sale          3,961                20.9652
Sale          23,751               21.1800
Sale          490                  21.1800
Sale          67                   20.2917
Sale          610                  20.9512

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          221696        20.3855
CFD            Long          2976          20.8292
CFD            Long          15854         20.8744
CFD            Long          27000         20.9149
CFD            Long          55700         20.9395
CFD            Long          1800          20.9398
CFD            Long          50244         20.9686
CFD            Long          338966        20.9889
CFD            Long          19053         20.9895
CFD            Long          226713        21.0227
CFD            Short         461           20.6539
CFD            Short         280824        20.8228
CFD            Short         202723        20.8551
CFD            Short         86000         20.8781
CFD            Short         43644         20.9778
CFD            Short         4530          21.0819
CFD            Short         500           21.1435
CFD            Short         8343          21.1455
CFD            Short         15878         21.1554
CFD            Short         2000          21.1705
CFD            Short         90627         21.19

(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)                 NO


Date of disclosure                         15 May 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   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         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

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