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               23 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     110,135,221       4.99%     1,473,565     0.07%
securities
(2) Derivatives    3,212,527       0.15%     3,506,789     0.16%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,002,450       0.05%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            114,350,198       5.18%     5,733,129     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      410                  20.8840
Purchase      6,780                20.4470
Purchase      9,060                20.4470
Purchase      8,097                20.4470
Purchase      8,709                20.4470
Purchase      4,089                20.4470
Purchase      13,906               20.4470
Purchase      81,611               20.4470
Purchase      17,999               20.4470
Purchase      51,944               20.4297
Purchase      9,301                20.1000
Purchase      35,564               20.4254
Purchase      28,100               20.1906
Purchase      11,732               20.4470
Purchase      90,624               20.5735
Purchase      216,171              20.4470
Purchase      3,888                20.3980
Purchase      595,121              20.5304
Purchase      221,107              20.5659
Purchase      4,977                20.1038
Purchase      316,395              20.4056
Purchase      115                  20.6465
Purchase      1,700                20.2988
Purchase      7,262                20.4897
Purchase      1,100                20.3234
Purchase      41,917               20.4152
Purchase      5,800                20.2624
Purchase      1,326                Transfer
Purchase      5,615                20.3993
Purchase      10,966               20.4470
Purchase      43,847               21.1000
Purchase      213,198              21.1000
Purchase      44,833               21.1000
Purchase      30,474               20.4470
Purchase      12,086               20.4470
Purchase      1,581                21.1000
Purchase      301,777              21.1000
Purchase      77,000               7.6602
Purchase      7,858                21.1000
Purchase      564                  20.5633
Purchase      1,268                20.1000
Purchase      61,136               20.4470
Purchase      13,899               20.4470
Purchase      16,424               20.4934
Purchase      23,763               20.1000
Purchase      26,821               20.4470
Sale          49                   20.6017
Sale          104,142              20.5114
Sale          63                   20.6217
Sale          26,086               20.4707
Sale          826                  20.4017
Sale          43,590               20.4280
Sale          1,200                20.6100
Sale          2,544                20.3996
Sale          96,150               20.3402
Sale          23,903               20.4850
Sale          72                   20.6315
Sale          600                  20.3561
Sale          316,395              20.4056
Sale          34,915               20.5255
Sale          247                  20.8200
Sale          200                  20.8915
Sale          1,000                20.0712
Sale          300                  20.8915
Sale          23,858               20.1000
Sale          140                  20.4225
Sale          233                  20.3512
Sale          352                  20.6117
Sale          109                  20.7952
Sale          615                  20.7960
Sale          55                   20.9735
Sale          422                  20.1000
Sale          1,969                20.1000
Sale          200,024              20.3904
Sale          410                  20.2961
Sale          5,958                20.5274
Sale          18,798               20.0970
Sale          16,424               20.4934
Sale          23,763               20.1000
Sale          1,474                Transfer
Sale          14,368               20.1000

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          18798         20.0969
CFD            Long          410           20.2961
CFD            Long          96150         20.3402
CFD            Long          600           20.3561
CFD            Long          200024        20.3904
CFD            Long          2544          20.3995
CFD            Long          316395        20.4056
CFD            Long          43590         20.428
CFD            Long          26086         20.4707
CFD            Long          23903         20.485
CFD            Long          16424         20.4933
CFD            Long          104142        20.5113
CFD            Long          34915         20.5255
CFD            Long          5958          20.5274
CFD            Long          1200          20.61
CFD            Short         4977          20.1038
CFD            Short         28100         20.1905
CFD            Short         5800          20.2624
CFD            Short         1700          20.2988
CFD            Short         1100          20.3234
CFD            Short         3888          20.398
CFD            Short         5615          20.3993
CFD            Short         316395        20.4056
CFD            Short         41917         20.4152
CFD            Short         35564         20.4254
CFD            Short         51944         20.4296
CFD            Short         7262          20.4896
CFD            Short         16424         20.4933
CFD            Short         595121        20.5303
CFD            Short         221107        20.5658
CFD            Short         90624         20.5735
CFD            Short         410           20.8839

(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                         27 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