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               22 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     108,905,026     4.93%      1,907,146     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,323,910     0.11%     11,265,848     0.51%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      502,700     0.02%        751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            111,731,636     5.06%     13,923,994     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                7,132               16.7548
Purchase                3,300               16.8676
Purchase                126,886             16.8702
Purchase                200                 16.8300
Purchase                1,984               16.8400
Purchase                2,964               16.9800
Purchase                29,000              16.8217
Purchase                1,263               17.0127
Purchase                5,030               16.7886
Purchase                79,885              16.7184
Purchase                6,042               16.8387
Purchase                859,335             16.8309
Purchase                443                 16.9800
Purchase                400                 16.9070
Purchase                1,500               16.6400
Purchase                84,100              16.9041
Purchase                18,242              16.7513
Purchase                65,808              16.7936
Purchase                250                 16.7770
Purchase                22,579              16.9800
Purchase                4,153               16.9800
Purchase                68,764              16.8427
Purchase                3,991               16.9800
Sale                    42                  16.6230
Sale                    42,170              16.7787
Sale                    58,683              16.8379
Sale                    63,068              16.8308
Sale                    108,924             16.2200
Sale                    217                 16.6615
Sale                    92                  16.9515
Sale                    364                 16.6730
Sale                    2,959               16.8900
Sale                    100                 16.9115
Sale                    900                 16.8683
Sale                    72                  16.6615
Sale                    359                 16.9693
Sale                    2,907               16.9800
Sale                    223                 16.6230
Sale                    57                  16.6115
Sale                    124                 16.9430
Sale                    47,502              16.9800
Sale                    93,222              16.8892
Sale                    200                 16.8300
Sale                    750                 16.9600
Sale                    2,063               16.9800
Sale                    1,177               16.9773
Sale                    9,464               16.6751
Sale                    13,000              16.8604
Sale                    132,720             16.8416
Sale                    89,902              16.8615
Sale                    53,282              16.9479
Sale                    10,618              16.9800
Sale                    138                 16.9430
Sale                    227                 16.6115
Sale                    13,000              16.9800
Sale                    14,892              16.8164
Sale                    400                 16.9503
Sale                    9,071               16.9529
Sale                    400                 16.8515
Sale                    295                 16.9503

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          14892         16.8164
CFD            Long          200           16.83
CFD            Long          63068         16.8308
CFD            Long          58683         16.8379
CFD            Long          132720        16.8416
CFD            Long          13000         16.8603
CFD            Long          89902         16.8614
CFD            Long          900           16.8683
CFD            Long          6663          16.8879
CFD            Long          93222         16.8892
CFD            Long          13618         16.9003
CFD            Long          53282         16.9478
CFD            Long          9071          16.9528
CFD            Long          1177          16.9772
CFD            Short         1396          16.6267
CFD            Short         1500          16.64
CFD            Short         79885         16.7183
CFD            Short         65808         16.7936
CFD            Short         29000         16.8216
CFD            Short         200           16.83
CFD            Short         859335        16.8309
CFD            Short         1984          16.84
CFD            Short         68764         16.8426
CFD            Short         3300          16.8675
CFD            Short         126886        16.8702
CFD            Short         84100         16.9041
CFD            Short         400           16.907
CFD            Short         5215          16.919
CFD            Short         1263          17.0127

(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                         26 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   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
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

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