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               21 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     108,315,359     4.91%      1,901,525     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,321,586     0.11%     10,514,170     0.48%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      502,700     0.02%        751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            111,139,645     5.04%     13,166,695     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                50,844              16.2797
Purchase                95,312              16.4995
Purchase                11,546              16.4719
Purchase                858                 16.7000
Purchase                190                 16.4685
Purchase                149                 16.4670
Purchase                284,555             16.6033
Purchase                179                 16.3870
Purchase                10,00               16.2200
Purchase                200                 16.7428
Purchase                120                 16.0685
Purchase                34                  16.3370
Purchase                146                 16.4785
Purchase                58,148              16.6699
Purchase                86,246              16.5958
Purchase                306                 16.5585
Purchase                44,603              16.7161
Purchase                12,600              16.4912
Purchase                21,000              16.3647
Purchase                257                 16.5126
Purchase                1,300               16.4300
Purchase                440                 16.7170
Purchase                2,999               16.7000
Purchase                23,063              16.7000
Purchase                48,648              16.7000
Purchase                2,860               16.4829
Purchase                300                 16.7170
Purchase                990                 16.6880
Purchase                5,000               16.2200
Purchase                257                 16.5126
Purchase                1,222               16.6500
Purchase                136,667             16.6559
Sale                    161                 Transfer
Sale                    506                 16.6600
Sale                    50,844              16.2798
Sale                    20,000              16.3440
Sale                    59,504              16.7000
Sale                    97,350              16.5317
Sale                    31,000              16.7000
Sale                    148,233             16.4243
Sale                    1,505               16.6973
Sale                    21,792              16.4307
Sale                    50,844              16.2797
Sale                    1,500               16.4853
Sale                    214,152             16.5549
Sale                    99                  16.2730
Sale                    1,300               16.4300
Sale                    1,200               16.4400
Sale                    426,850             16.4778
Sale                    136,729             16.5284
Sale                    2,369               16.6900

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          20000         16.3439
CFD            Long          148233        16.4242
CFD            Long          1300          16.43
CFD            Long          21792         16.4307
CFD            Long          1200          16.44
CFD            Long          426850        16.4778
CFD            Long          1500          16.4853
CFD            Long          42832         16.4901
CFD            Long          432           16.5175
CFD            Long          136729        16.5284
CFD            Long          54719         16.5298
CFD            Long          97350         16.5316
CFD            Long          171320        16.571
CFD            Long          1505          16.6973
CFD            Short         15000         16.22
CFD            Short         21000         16.3647
CFD            Short         1300          16.43
CFD            Short         3170          16.4659
CFD            Short         11546         16.4718
CFD            Short         12600         16.4911
CFD            Short         95312         16.4994
CFD            Short         86246         16.5957
CFD            Short         284555        16.6033
CFD            Short         1396          16.655
CFD            Short         136667        16.6559
CFD            Short         58148         16.6698
CFD            Short         4423          16.6967
CFD            Short         44603         16.716
CFD            Short         200           16.7428

(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                         22 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