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               20 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     108,680,258     4.92%      1,754,944     0.08%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,129,816     0.10%     10,671,996     0.48%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      502,700     0.02%        751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            111,312,774     5.04%     13,177,940     0.60%


(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                63,172              16.2062
Purchase                568,701             16.2124
Purchase                2,600               16.1873
Purchase                204                 16.2200
Purchase                7,966               15.2000
Purchase                115,800             16.2883
Purchase                69,980              16.1195
Purchase                371,268             16.0125
Purchase                11,046              16.1169
Purchase                193,829             16.1296
Purchase                630                 Transfer
Purchase                627                 16.2063
Purchase                217,301             16.1395
Purchase                320                 15.8597
Purchase                360                 16.1185
Purchase                340                 15.9784
Purchase                300                 16.2688
Purchase                1,255               15.0616
Purchase                375                 16.1585
Purchase                32,333              15.8752
Purchase                700                 16.0143
Purchase                98                  16.0097
Purchase                107,366             15.8875
Purchase                20,099              16.0171
Sale                    50,000              16.2200
Sale                    7,966               16.0304
Sale                    7,966               15.2000
Sale                    21,331              16.2867
Sale                    627                 15.7975
Sale                    123                 15.0915
Sale                    630                 Transfer
Sale                    89                  15.3415
Sale                    1,552               16.2174
Sale                    105,694             15.8959
Sale                    126                 15.3915
Sale                    24                  15.8715
Sale                    24                  15.8630
Sale                    89,914              16.1196
Sale                    400                 15.8545
Sale                    770                 15.7375
Sale                    154                 15.0815
Sale                    196,317             15.9335
Sale                    30,141              16.2470
Sale                    85,615              16.1494
Sale                    700                 16.0143
Sale                    200                 16.1815
Sale                    565                 15.7803
Sale                    32,368              16.2268

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          770           15.7374
CFD            Long          627           15.7974
CFD            Long          1592          15.8732
CFD            Long          105694        15.8959
CFD            Long          196317        15.9334
CFD            Long          700           16.0142
CFD            Long          89914         16.1195
CFD            Long          85615         16.1493
CFD            Long          1552          16.2174
CFD            Long          32368         16.2268
CFD            Long          30141         16.2469
CFD            Long          21331         16.2867
CFD            Short         1255          15.0616
CFD            Short         32333         15.8751
CFD            Short         107366        15.8875
CFD            Short         371268        16.0125
CFD            Short         700           16.0142
CFD            Short         20099         16.017
CFD            Short         92348         16.1125
CFD            Short         11046         16.1169
CFD            Short         69980         16.1195
CFD            Short         217301        16.1394
CFD            Short         101481        16.1451
CFD            Short         2600          16.1873
CFD            Short         63799         16.2062
CFD            Short         568701        16.2124
CFD            Short         41779         16.2168
CFD            Short         115800        16.2883

(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                         21 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