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               12 August 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    107,993,428        4.89%     1,908,041     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives   2,192,562        0.10%     9,946,995     0.45%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     502,700        0.02%       751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total           110,688,690        5.02%    12,606,036     0.57%

(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           Price per unit
                        Securities          (GBP)
Purchase                16,583              14.7243
Purchase                1,347               14.5763
Purchase                5,553               14.6369
Purchase                625                 14.6315
Purchase                73,704              .4256
Purchase                252,230             14.7354
Purchase                85,904              14.6667
Purchase                20                  14.5779
Purchase                110,564             14.6504
Purchase                1,169               Transfer
Purchase                15,000              14.6800
Purchase                14,629              14.7355
Purchase                129,192             14.6322
Purchase                60,500              14.6343
Purchase                3,410               Transfer
Purchase                119,981             14.6183
Purchase                33,000              14.6181
Purchase                277                 14.5679
Purchase                1,169               Transfer
Purchase                1,400               14.7474
Purchase                122,850             14.6680
Purchase                1,798               14.6280
Purchase                116,246             14.6509
Purchase                6,944               14.6327
Purchase                340                 14.5979
Purchase                475                 14.7492
Purchase                1,000               14.6479
Purchase                900                 14.5384
Purchase                21,703              14.6327
Purchase                1,114               14.6326
Purchase                14,802              14.6800
Purchase                30,183              14.6800
Purchase                195                 14.6779
Purchase                49,250              14.6792
Purchase                2,908               14.6327
Purchase                2,326               14.6041
Purchase                518                 15.0000
Purchase                518                 15.0000
Purchase                1,015               14.6800
Sale                    7,431               14.7600
Sale                    1,110,453           Transfer
Sale                    2,146               14.7600
Sale                    25,918              14.5394
Sale                    49,250              14.6792
Sale                    51                  14.6142
Sale                    69                  14.6321
Sale                    3,402               14.7600
Sale                    603                 14.5921
Sale                    103                 14.6821
Sale                    103                 14.5642
Sale                    60,500              14.6343
Sale                    1,169               Transfer
Sale                    625                 15.0176
Sale                    135,491             14.6895
Sale                    4,000               14.5700
Sale                    1,681               15.0154
Sale                    10,179              14.6800
Sale                    85,273              14.6574
Sale                    1,619               14.6263
Sale                    20,000              14.6702
Sale                    527,599             14.6786
Sale                    70                  14.6821
Sale                    100                 14.6521
Sale                    2,664               15.0154
Sale                    2,320               14.5944
Sale                    26,949              14.7393
Sale                    9,478               14.7030
Sale                    13,647              14.5944
Sale                    5,819               15.0154

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          25918         14.5393
CFD            Long          4344          14.6022
CFD            Long          1619          14.6263
CFD            Long          60500         14.6342
CFD            Long          85273         14.6574
CFD            Long          20000         14.6701
CFD            Long          527599        14.6786
CFD            Long          49250         14.6791
CFD            Long          4002          14.683
CFD            Long          135491        14.6894
CFD            Long          26949         14.7393
CFD            Long          625           15.0176
CFD            Short         1347          14.5762
CFD            Short         72792         14.59
CFD            Short         2071          14.6174
CFD            Short         33000         14.618
CFD            Short         119981        14.6183
CFD            Short         6148          14.6264
CFD            Short         1798          14.6279
CFD            Short         625           14.6314
CFD            Short         127121        14.6324
CFD            Short         60500         14.6342
CFD            Short         5553          14.6369
CFD            Short         110564        14.6504
CFD            Short         116246        14.6509
CFD            Short         85904         14.6666
CFD            Short         122850        14.668
CFD            Short         49250         14.6791
CFD            Short         252230        14.7354
CFD            Short         14629         14.7355
CFD            Short         1400          14.7474

(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                         13 August 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   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       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   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   750                    2,200.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,900.0000       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