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               05 August 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    112,295,143        5.09%     1,652,489     0.07%
securities
(2) Derivatives   1,983,518        0.09%    11,875,433     0.54%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     502,700        0.02%       751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total           114,781,361        5.20%    14,278,922     0.65%

(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           Price per unit
                        Securities          (GBP)
Purchase                1,667               15.0267
Purchase                9,000               15.1400
Purchase                517,171             15.0821
Purchase                400                 15.3225
Purchase                3,300               14.8400
Purchase                216,531             15.1269
Purchase                1,557               15.1400
Purchase                200                 15.1958
Purchase                81,953              15.1829
Purchase                76,500              15.1225
Purchase                485,818             15.1344
Purchase                4,390               14.9100
Purchase                20,000              15.0584
Purchase                8,708               15.0929
Purchase                966                 14.9024
Purchase                22,000              14.9833
Purchase                55,787              15.1226
Purchase                275                 14.8358
Purchase                7,067               15.1400
Purchase                7,476               15.3100
Purchase                59,662              15.1400
Purchase                4,125               15.2259
Purchase                325                 15.2679
Purchase                101                 15.2758
Purchase                5,649               14.8396
Purchase                125                 15.2858
Purchase                317                 14.8396
Purchase                1,075               15.1475
Purchase                300                 14.9279
Purchase                432                 14.8396
Purchase                200                 15.0488
Purchase                2,368               14.8396
Purchase                23,460              15.2641
Sale                    780                 15.2600
Sale                    85,339              15.1228
Sale                    152                 15.1021
Sale                    300                 15.5300
Sale                    140,424             15.0811
Sale                    73,558              15.0990
Sale                    23,712              15.1000
Sale                    13,846              15.1726
Sale                    88,565              15.0645
Sale                    966                 15.1570
Sale                    93,754              15.1670
Sale                    700                 15.2200
Sale                    672                 15.3000
Sale                    11,145              15.1438
Sale                    130                 15.0912
Sale                    1,817               15.3000
Sale                    17,000              15.0482

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          17000         15.0481
CFD            Long          88565         15.0644
CFD            Long          140424        15.0811
CFD            Long          73558         15.0989
CFD            Long          23712         15.1
CFD            Long          85339         15.1227
CFD            Long          11145         15.1437
CFD            Long          966           15.157
CFD            Long          93754         15.1669
CFD            Long          11647         15.171
CFD            Long          13846         15.1725
CFD            Long          700           15.22
CFD            Long          300           15.53
CFD            Short         3300          14.84
CFD            Short         966           14.9023
CFD            Short         22000         14.9833
CFD            Short         1667          15.0267
CFD            Short         1708          15.0464
CFD            Short         517171        15.0821
CFD            Short         7000          15.1042
CFD            Short         50237         15.1069
CFD            Short         76500         15.1224
CFD            Short         55787         15.1226
CFD            Short         216531        15.1269
CFD            Short         485818        15.1343
CFD            Short         33545         15.1511
CFD            Short         81953         15.1828
CFD            Short         23460         15.2641
CFD            Short         400           15.3225

(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                         06 August 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               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   750                    2,200.0000       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   250                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       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

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