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               26 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       99,580,534     4.51%      4,673,746     0.21%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,585,824     0.16%      3,426,543     0.16%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,002,450      0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             104,168,808     4.72%      8,853,064     0.40%

(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         3,495                   14.4252
Purchase         55                      Transfer
Purchase         1,679                   14.5000
Purchase         11,492                  14.4058
Purchase         97                      Transfer
Purchase         1,108                   14.4814
Purchase         182,812                 14.2735
Purchase         2,230                   14.1865
Purchase         11,034                  14.2137
Purchase         475                     14.4488
Purchase         5,926                   14.3384
Purchase         78                      14.3583
Purchase         659                     14.0427
Purchase         2,481                   14.3922
Purchase         52,000                  14.4539
Purchase         342                     14.4700
Purchase         119                     Transfer
Purchase         712                     14.3000
Purchase         16,350                  14.3812
Purchase         20,000                  14.5000
Purchase         34,192                  14.3000
Purchase         126,820                 14.4349
Purchase         399                     14.5000
Purchase         350                     14.1275
Purchase         1,356                   14.5000
Purchase         500                     14.2888
Purchase         4,617                   14.4119
Purchase         1,399                   14.4500
Purchase         20,000                  13.6100
Purchase         1,305                   14.1100
Purchase         2,960                   14.1100
Sale             55                      Transfer
Sale             450                     14.2500
Sale             28,899                  14.2564
Sale             46,975                  14.4427
Sale             60,600                  14.5054
Sale             2,539                   14.4475
Sale             39,275                  14.2046
Sale             1,805                   14.4817
Sale             1,726                   14.4972
Sale             250                     14.3412
Sale             900                     14.2077
Sale             310                     14.2500
Sale             20,000                  13.6100
Sale             200                     14.2500
Sale             32,979                  14.2973
Sale             8,016                   14.3593
Sale             500                     14.2500
Sale             802                     14.4152
Sale             400                     14.3412
Sale             100                     14.4812
Sale             24,051                  14.5000
Sale             84                      14.3517
Sale             659                     14.5272
Sale             712                     14.3000
Sale             97                      Transfer
Sale             285,691                 14.3391
Sale             34,192                  14.3000
Sale             7,000                   14.2149
Sale             250                     14.2500
Sale             16,000                  14.3937
Sale             180                     14.2500
Sale             36,400                  14.4734
Sale             225                     14.2500
Sale             60                      14.3435
Sale             97                      14.1417
Sale             500                     14.5112
Sale             400                     14.2500
Sale             423                     14.1900

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         659           14.0426
CFD            Short         2230          14.1864
CFD            Short         11034         14.2136
CFD            Short         182812        14.2735
CFD            Short         5926          14.3383
CFD            Short         16350         14.3811
CFD            Short         2481          14.3921
CFD            Short         11492         14.4058
CFD            Short         3495          14.4251
CFD            Short         126820        14.4348
CFD            Short         52000         14.4538
CFD            Short         1108          14.4814
CFD            Long          39275         14.2045
CFD            Long          900           14.2077
CFD            Long          7000          14.2148
CFD            Long          32979         14.2973
CFD            Long          285691        14.339
CFD            Long          8016          14.3593
CFD            Long          16000         14.3937
CFD            Long          46975         14.4427
CFD            Long          2539          14.4475
CFD            Long          36400         14.4733
CFD            Long          1726          14.4972
CFD            Long          60600         14.5054
CFD            Long          659           14.5272

(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                         27 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   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