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               17 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      106,512,046     4.83%      3,403,503     0.15%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,375,018     0.15%      4,548,819     0.21%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,003,800      0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             110,890,864     5.02%      8,705,097     0.39%

(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         3,992                   15.1058
Purchase         1,670                   15.1391
Purchase         8,344                   15.2915
Purchase         2,449                   15.1391
Purchase         7,023                   15.1391
Purchase         19,229                  15.1358
Purchase         60,980                  15.1973
Purchase         10,316                  15.0638
Purchase         11,921                  15.1250
Purchase         1,731                   15.7885
Purchase         288,414                 15.0913
Purchase         43,205                  14.9364
Purchase         1,722                   15.5265
Purchase         648                     15.1391
Purchase         6,864                   15.1016
Purchase         2,362                   15.1391
Purchase         58,235                  15.0877
Purchase         920                     15.2200
Purchase         3,374                   15.1391
Purchase         1,098                   15.1391
Purchase         1,700                   15.2400
Purchase         176                     14.8215
Purchase         1,757                   15.1391
Purchase         1,610                   15.1391
Purchase         10,235                  14.9652
Purchase         64,855                  15.8705
Purchase         950                     15.1888
Purchase         8,000                   15.2129
Purchase         2,594                   15.8159
Purchase         22,670                  15.1391
Purchase         199,084                 15.1559
Purchase         7,308                   15.1533
Purchase         400                     15.2700
Purchase         60,530                  15.8751
Purchase         2,106                   15.9000
Purchase         168,311                 15.0280
Purchase         1,176                   15.1391
Purchase         170,000                 14.6500
Purchase         27,892                  15.2675
Sale             64,855                  15.8704
Sale             920                     15.2200
Sale             50,889                  15.1052
Sale             62                      Transfer
Sale             101,700                 15.2862
Sale             6,000                   15.2280
Sale             400                     15.2912
Sale             45,438                  14.9984
Sale             896                     15.0656
Sale             8,344                   14.9098
Sale             84                      15.0717
Sale             4,185                   14.6500
Sale             250                     15.2825
Sale             10,596                  15.1082
Sale             198                     15.1617
Sale             279,821                 15.1756
Sale             110                     14.8917
Sale             3,901                   15.2327
Sale             15,000                  15.0771
Sale             3,406                   14.9636
Sale             55,488                  15.1625
Sale             300                     15.0912
Sale             920                     15.2300
Sale             1,000                   15.1880
Sale             3,120                   15.1001
Sale             540                     14.8912
Sale             100                     15.2212
Sale             493,99                  15.1804
Sale             100                     15.1012
Sale             200                     15.2812
Sale             930                     14.9075
Sale             3,735                   14.9700
Sale             204,896                 15.1160
Sale             2,045                   14.8972
Sale             19,229                  15.1357
Sale             1,887                   14.6500

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         176           14.8214
CFD            Short         42205         14.9298
CFD            Short         10235         14.9652
CFD            Short         7310          15.0079
CFD            Short         168311        15.028
CFD            Short         10316         15.0638
CFD            Short         58235         15.0877
CFD            Short         269312        15.088
CFD            Short         288414        15.0912
CFD            Short         6864          15.1015
CFD            Short         3992          15.1057
CFD            Short         199084        15.1558
CFD            Short         1000          15.2113
CFD            Short         8000          15.2128
CFD            Short         1700          15.24
CFD            Short         27892         15.2675
CFD            Short         400           15.27
CFD            Short         8344          15.2915
CFD            Long          22267         14.7749
CFD            Long          2045          14.8971
CFD            Long          930           14.9075
CFD            Long          8344          14.9098
CFD            Long          3406          14.9636
CFD            Long          1602          14.9702
CFD            Long          15000         15.0771
CFD            Long          3120          15.1
CFD            Long          50889         15.1051
CFD            Long          10596         15.1082
CFD            Long          204896        15.116
CFD            Long          279821        15.1755
CFD            Long          493991        15.1803
CFD            Long          1000          15.188
CFD            Long          450575        15.1882
CFD            Long          23171         15.2131
CFD            Long          6000          15.228

(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                         18 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   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,77                  5 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   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,650.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009

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