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               22 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     108,408,560       4.91%     2,051,665     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives    3,790,627       0.17%     3,548,080     0.16%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,002,450       0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            113,201,637       5.13%     6,352,520     0.29%


(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      4,925                21.1550
Purchase      453                  21.1552
Purchase      5,195                21.1000
Purchase      7,540                21.1000
Purchase      1,772                21.0915
Purchase      3,800                20.2300
Purchase      30,535               21.1055
Purchase      365,336              21.1055
Purchase      15,048               21.1000
Purchase      137,610              21.1055
Purchase      600                  21.1480
Purchase      800                  21.1551
Purchase      22,881               21.1054
Purchase      218                  21.1554
Purchase      6,625                21.1053
Purchase      14,193               21.1054
Purchase      486                  21.1552
Purchase      13,168               21.1054
Purchase      13,097               21.1550
Purchase      414                  21.1735
Purchase      79,559               21.1424
Purchase      304                  Transfer
Purchase      255,417              21.0190
Purchase      33,981               21.0052
Purchase      202,566              21.0085
Purchase      5,000                21.0740
Purchase      58,976               21.0943
Purchase      21,842               21.1000
Purchase      28,000               20.8002
Purchase      1,107                21.1549
Purchase      97,032               21.1309
Purchase      67,557               21.0244
Purchase      18,646               21.1224
Purchase      2,127                20.9743
Purchase      430                  20.9540
Purchase      77                   Transfer
Purchase      12,090               21.1000
Purchase      156                  Transfer
Purchase      625                  21.1553
Purchase      1,002                21.1000
Purchase      690                  21.1551
Purchase      3,695                21.1550
Purchase      103,196              21.1055
Purchase      45,470               21.1055
Purchase      607                  21.0915
Purchase      1,639                21.1550
Purchase      45,576               21.0915
Purchase      188                  21.1470
Purchase      2,988                21.0915
Purchase      462                  21.0915
Purchase      17,963               21.1054
Purchase      1,104                21.0915
Purchase      19,836               21.1054
Purchase      14,764               21.1054
Purchase      1,870                21.0915
Purchase      677                  21.1550
Purchase      6,100                20.2300
Purchase      21,483               21.1000
Purchase      14,800               21.1000
Purchase      820                  21.1550
Purchase      23,131               21.1054
Purchase      1,857                21.1550
Purchase      510                  21.1552
Purchase      51,650               21.1055
Purchase      1,800                21.0915
Purchase      1,477                21.0932
Purchase      19,236               21.1054
Purchase      375                  21.1551
Purchase      10,993               21.1053
Sale          2,558                21.1000
Sale          5,846                20.4000
Sale          1,957                21.1000
Sale          146                  20.7135
Sale          79,559               21.1424
Sale          134                  21.1717
Sale          276,443              20.9892
Sale          29,698               21.0995
Sale          102,859              21.0040
Sale          80                   Transfer
Sale          156                  Transfer
Sale          95                   20.5735
Sale          625                  21.0517
Sale          732                  21.1000
Sale          111                  20.9517
Sale          10,692               20.2300
Sale          90                   21.0571
Sale          147                  20.5535
Sale          56,700               21.1165
Sale          50,865               21.1000
Sale          48,426               21.1000
Sale          79,559               21.1425
Sale          315                  21.2215
Sale          32,000               20.5410
Sale          925                  21.1712
Sale          2,401                21.1000
Sale          167,742              20.9575
Sale          586,864              20.9356
Sale          217                  Transfer
Sale          1,400                20.8752
Sale          430                  20.7560
Sale          141                  20.5735
Sale          99,123               20.9328
Sale          250                  21.0312
Sale          1,400                21.2400
Sale          44,378               21.1438
Sale          252                  20.9735
Sale          123,189              20.2300
Sale          354                  21.0625
Sale          6,014                20.9735
Sale          304                  Transfer
Sale          77                   Transfer

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          430           20.756
CFD            Long          1400          20.8752
CFD            Long          99123         20.9328
CFD            Long          586864        20.9355
CFD            Long          167742        20.9574
CFD            Long          6014          20.9735
CFD            Long          276443        20.9892
CFD            Long          102859        21.0039
CFD            Long          90            21.0571
CFD            Long          354           21.0625
CFD            Long          29698         21.0995
CFD            Long          56700         21.1165
CFD            Long          44378         21.1438
CFD            Long          1400          21.24
CFD            Short         430           20.9539
CFD            Short         2127          20.9743
CFD            Short         33981         21.0052
CFD            Short         202566        21.0085
CFD            Short         255417        21.019
CFD            Short         67557         21.0243
CFD            Short         5000          21.074
CFD            Short         58976         21.0942
CFD            Short         18646         21.1224
CFD            Short         97032         21.1309
CFD            Short         414           21.1735

(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                         23 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