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               18 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     108,239,525     4.90%      2,326,211     0.11%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,463,584     0.11%     10,784,184     0.49%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      502,700     0.02%        751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            111,205,809     5.04%     13,861,395     0.63%


(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                84,275              15.3934
Purchase                187                 Transfer
Purchase                122,756             15.6125
Purchase                693,270             15.5544
Purchase                39,255              15.5838
Purchase                2,931               15.4852
Purchase                2,000               15.3723
Purchase                1,633               15.3725
Purchase                50,851              15.6703
Purchase                102                 Transfer
Purchase                1,200               15.5826
Purchase                48,783              15.5443
Purchase                61,915              15.5770
Purchase                30,785              15.6424
Purchase                187                 Transfer
Purchase                400                 15.6426
Purchase                44                  15.4085
Purchase                490                 15.5800
Purchase                1,337               15.5800
Purchase                9,470               15.3700
Purchase                2,399               15.3700
Purchase                485                 15.3692
Purchase                3                   15.7200
Purchase                932                 15.5800
Purchase                4,000               15.7300
Purchase                300                 15.5092
Purchase                6,949               15.3700
Purchase                255                 15.6376
Sale                    565                 15.7103
Sale                    49,093              15.5332
Sale                    129,005             15.4823
Sale                    189                 15.5915
Sale                    20,900              15.4755
Sale                    103,692             15.4939
Sale                    6,176               15.4703
Sale                    948                 15.4000
Sale                    187                 Transfer
Sale                    59                  15.6430
Sale                    284                 15.5015
Sale                    102                 Transfer
Sale                    47,725              15.4905
Sale                    195,815             15.4895
Sale                    129                 15.5430
Sale                    7,252               15.3700
Sale                    1,550               15.4075
Sale                    187                 Transfer
Sale                    228                 15.6030
Sale                    12,522              15.3700
Sale                    10,000              15.4275
Sale                    161                 15.5915
Sale                    330                 15.6800
Sale                    710                 15.4503
Sale                    102                 15.6315
Sale                    99,062              15.4544
Sale                    3,202               15.5952
Sale                    12,111              15.3700

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          1550          15.4075
CFD            Long          10000         15.4275
CFD            Long          99062         15.4543
CFD            Long          6176          15.4703
CFD            Long          20900         15.4755
CFD            Long          129005        15.4823
CFD            Long          43766         15.484
CFD            Long          195815        15.4895
CFD            Long          103692        15.4939
CFD            Long          49093         15.5331
CFD            Long          3959          15.5623
CFD            Long          3202          15.5951
CFD            Short         2000          15.3723
CFD            Short         1633          15.3724
CFD            Short         80900         15.3813
CFD            Short         48783         15.5442
CFD            Short         693270        15.5543
CFD            Short         61915         15.577
CFD            Short         1200          15.5826
CFD            Short         39255         15.5837
CFD            Short         122756        15.6125
CFD            Short         30785         15.6424
CFD            Short         400           15.6426
CFD            Short         50851         15.6703
CFD            Short         3375          15.6828
CFD            Short         3             15.72

(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                         19 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   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   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                    1,900.0000       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

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