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               21 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     108,277,667       4.91%     1,373,039     0.06%
securities
(2) Derivatives    3,116,733       0.14%     3,505,535     0.16%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,002,450       0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            112,396,850       5.09%     5,631,349     0.26%


(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      2,695                20.2300
Purchase      223,994              20.5246
Purchase      32,786               20.5064
Purchase      143,870              20.4779
Purchase      357,221              20.5520
Purchase      1,651                20.5600
Purchase      160,684              20.5137
Purchase      1,044                20.2300
Purchase      3,116                20.5481
Purchase      1,200                20.5139
Purchase      334                  20.5900
Purchase      410,501              20.6000
Purchase      5,000                20.5039
Purchase      156,206              20.5529
Purchase      873                  20.6600
Purchase      5,700                20.5953
Purchase      274,126              20.5144
Purchase      290                  Transfer
Purchase      20,238               20.5307
Purchase      24,359               20.5397
Purchase      665                  Transfer
Purchase      5,900                20.4854
Sale          64,708               20.5379
Sale          7,300                20.6561
Sale          383                  20.5217
Sale          2,013                20.5961
Sale          500                  20.5903
Sale          258                  20.5517
Sale          116                  20.5335
Sale          150                  20.4670
Sale          51                   20.4635
Sale          3,204                20.4137
Sale          2,695                20.2300
Sale          11,463               20.5847
Sale          128                  20.5530
Sale          313                  Transfer
Sale          290                  Transfer
Sale          37,790               20.5388
Sale          357,221              20.5520
Sale          101                  Transfer
Sale          16,601               20.5299
Sale          15,516               20.5298
Sale          625                  20.5800
Sale          1,044                20.2300
Sale          150                  20.5800
Sale          350                  20.5800
Sale          350                  20.5800
Sale          200                  20.5516
Sale          19,404               20.6600
Sale          50                   20.5038
Sale          125                  20.5800
Sale          100                  20.6030
Sale          100                  20.5800
Sale          300                  20.5800
Sale          125                  20.5800
Sale          150                  20.5925
Sale          75                   20.5800
Sale          130                  20.5800
Sale          125                  20.5800
Sale          410,501              20.6000
Sale          450                  20.6030
Sale          250                  20.5800
Sale          38,487               Transfer
Sale          35                   20.6117
Sale          85                   20.4917
Sale          11,057               20.5740
Sale          70                   20.6117
Sale          110                  20.5800
Sale          300                  20.5800
Sale          300                  20.5800
Sale          100                  20.5912
Sale          410,501              20.6000
Sale          400                  20.5800
Sale          300                  20.5800
Sale          170                  20.5800
Sale          175                  20.5800
Sale          200                  20.5800
Sale          110                  20.5800
Sale          75                   20.5800
Sale          85                   20.5800

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          3204          20.4137
CFD            Long          32117         20.5298
CFD            Long          64708         20.5378
CFD            Long          37790         20.5387
CFD            Long          357221        20.552
CFD            Long          11057         20.574
CFD            Long          11463         20.5847
CFD            Long          2013          20.596
CFD            Long          7300          20.656
CFD            Short         143870        20.4779
CFD            Short         5900          20.4854
CFD            Short         5000          20.5038
CFD            Short         32786         20.5064
CFD            Short         160684        20.5137
CFD            Short         1200          20.5139
CFD            Short         274126        20.5144
CFD            Short         223994        20.5246
CFD            Short         20238         20.5307
CFD            Short         24359         20.5396
CFD            Short         3116          20.5481
CFD            Short         357221        20.552
CFD            Short         156206        20.5528
CFD            Short         5700          20.5953

(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                         22 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                   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
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

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