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               19 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      105,103,295     4.76%      2,879,103     0.13%
securities
(2) Derivatives     2,916,373     0.13%      3,844,785     0.17%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,003,800      0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,023,468     4.94%      7,476,663     0.34%

(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         661                     14.9179
Purchase         161,630                 14.8358
Purchase         430,000                 15.1601
Purchase         150                     14.9688
Purchase         650                     15.0288
Purchase         330                     14.9684
Purchase         32,198                  14.4100
Purchase         5,019                   14.8223
Purchase         8,487                   15.0371
Purchase         5,335                   14.9796
Purchase         48,069                  14.6926
Purchase         765                     14.9222
Purchase         97                      Transfer
Purchase         18                      14.8200
Purchase         2,395                   15.1628
Purchase         20,121                  15.1932
Purchase         137,564                 14.9579
Purchase         54,918                  14.5924
Purchase         48,000                  15.2064
Purchase         13,965                  14.4122
Purchase         20,153                  14.7992
Purchase         130,082                 14.7796
Purchase         83,578                  15.0898
Purchase         21,200                  15.1410
Purchase         20,121                  15.1932
Purchase         70,000                  14.7399
Purchase         309,736                 15.0141
Purchase         148                     Transfer
Purchase         260,349                 15.1500
Purchase         13,651                  14.7650
Purchase         84,084                  15.1500
Purchase         325                     15.1388
Purchase         430,000                 15.1601
Purchase         32,216                  15.1500
Purchase         77,156                  15.0818
Purchase         100,000                 14.4100
Purchase         7,014                   14.9484
Purchase         10,060                  15.1932
Purchase         1,739                   14.4127
Purchase         2,100                   15.1525
Purchase         600                     14.6288
Sale             20,121                  15.1932
Sale             8,025                   14.4100
Sale             1,308                   15.1900
Sale             827                     15.2000
Sale             250                     15.2012
Sale             350                     15.1112
Sale             65,002                  14.9208
Sale             600                     15.2000
Sale             943                     15.2000
Sale             200                     15.1325
Sale             103,456                 14.7332
Sale             188,862                 15.2009
Sale             827                     15.2000
Sale             7,698                   15.1129
Sale             101                     15.1517
Sale             2,395                   15.1628
Sale             300                     15.2012
Sale             564                     15.2000
Sale             894                     15.2000
Sale             355                     15.2012
Sale             270                     14.9512
Sale             774                     14.9332
Sale             2,815                   15.0317
Sale             54,918                  14.5924
Sale             449                     15.2000
Sale             18                      14.8200
Sale             4,000                   14.9825
Sale             430,000                 15.1601
Sale             260,349                 15.1500
Sale             897                     15.2000
Sale             500                     15.2000
Sale             41,687                  15.0917
Sale             704                     15.2000
Sale             35,430                  14.8910
Sale             54,918                  14.5924
Sale             455                     15.1212
Sale             400                     15.2100
Sale             835                     15.1525
Sale             1,200                   15.2000
Sale             1,013                   15.2000
Sale             500                     14.4912
Sale             66,486                  15.0865
Sale             564                     15.2000
Sale             792                     15.2000
Sale             9,691                   14.9512
Sale             460                     15.1512
Sale             200                     15.2100
Sale             87,006                  14.5658
Sale             1,908                   15.2000
Sale             600                     15.2012
Sale             892                     15.2000
Sale             10,061                  14.9729
Sale             84,084                  15.1500
Sale             260,322                 15.1500
Sale             600                     15.2012
Sale             250                     15.2012
Sale             89,113                  14.6857
Sale             564                     15.2000
Sale             8,398                   14.9700
Sale             880                     15.2000
Sale             2,000                   15.2000
Sale             2,395                   15.1739
Sale             430,000                 15.1601
Sale             32,198                  14.4100
Sale             24,041                  14.8870
Sale             99,305                  15.1997
Sale             220                     14.9525
Sale             1,360                   15.2000
Sale             459                     15.1700
Sale             433                     15.2000
Sale             417                     15.1317
Sale             753                     14.5176
Sale             4,133                   14.4100
Sale             564                     15.2000
Sale             3,707                   15.2000
Sale             1,341                   15.2000
Sale             52                      15.2000
Sale             32,216                  15.1500
Sale             2,459                   15.2000
Sale             450                     15.2012
Sale             880                     15.2000
Sale             130,082                 14.7796
Sale             130,082                 14.7796

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         13965         14.4121
CFD            Short         1739          14.4127
CFD            Short         70000         14.7399
CFD            Short         13651         14.7649
CFD            Short         20153         14.7992
CFD            Short         5019          14.8223
CFD            Short         161630        14.8357
CFD            Short         58729         14.931
CFD            Short         7014          14.9484
CFD            Short         78835         14.9779
CFD            Short         5335          14.9796
CFD            Short         309736        15.0141
CFD            Short         8487          15.037
CFD            Short         77156         15.0817
CFD            Short         83578         15.0897
CFD            Short         21200         15.1409
CFD            Short         2100          15.1525
CFD            Short         430000        15.1601
CFD            Short         48000         15.2064
CFD            Long          753           14.5175
CFD            Long          87006         14.5658
CFD            Long          54918         14.5923
CFD            Long          89113         14.6856
CFD            Long          103456        14.7331
CFD            Long          130082        14.7796
CFD            Long          24041         14.8869
CFD            Long          35430         14.891
CFD            Long          9691          14.9511
CFD            Long          10061         14.9729
CFD            Long          66486         15.0865
CFD            Long          41687         15.0917
CFD            Long          860000        15.1601
CFD            Long          20121         15.1932
CFD            Long          88862         15.2008

(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                         20 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   -1,775                 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                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
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