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               26 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     107,351,628     4.86%      1,964,846     0.09%
securities
(2) Derivatives   2,600,785      0.12%      9,726,530     0.44%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and      502,700     0.02%        751,000     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            110,455,113     5.00%     12,442,376     0.56%


(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                187,944             16.6643
Purchase                22,371              16.3802
Purchase                2,740               16.4613
Purchase                9,833               16.3542
Purchase                59,269              16.4647
Purchase                89,280              16.5605
Purchase                490                 Transfer
Purchase                46,444              16.7242
Purchase                1,704               16.7225
Purchase                20,000              16.7600
Purchase                3,841               16.5627
Purchase                7,479               16.9800
Purchase                301                 Transfer
Purchase                875                 16.2865
Purchase                678                 16.2865
Purchase                11,237              16.7600
Purchase                12,925              16.4059
Purchase                829                 16.2865
Purchase                22,795              16.2865
Purchase                5,461               16.4060
Purchase                72,126              16.7600
Purchase                625                 16.3084
Purchase                600                 16.7285
Purchase                4,344               16.2865
Purchase                857                 16.2865
Purchase                728                 16.2865
Purchase                300                 16.5584
Sale                    34,000              16.3921
Sale                    67,441              16.7380
Sale                    1,703               16.7275
Sale                    192,113             16.3747
Sale                    5,670               16.5562
Sale                    2,241               16.5977
Sale                    7,344               16.3471
Sale                    17,256              16.7270
Sale                    57,678              16.4553
Sale                    1,537,449           16.4200
Sale                    8,678               16.7329
Sale                    10,000              16.6773
Sale                    186                 16.3930
Sale                    850                 16.4650
Sale                    76,975              16.5200
Sale                    490                 Transfer
Sale                    19,040              16.7600
Sale                    11,237              16.7600
Sale                    72,126              16.7600
Sale                    16,696              16.7600
Sale                    301                 Transfer

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          6433          16.3708
CFD            Long          97756         16.371
CFD            Long          192113        16.3746
CFD            Long          34000         16.392
CFD            Long          1537449       16.42
CFD            Long          57678         16.4552
CFD            Long          76975         16.5199
CFD            Long          5670          16.5561
CFD            Long          122330        16.5666
CFD            Long          2241          16.5977
CFD            Long          11941         16.6429
CFD            Long          10000         16.6773
CFD            Long          17256         16.7269
CFD            Long          1703          16.7274
CFD            Long          8678          16.7328
CFD            Long          55500         16.7584
CFD            Short         5000          16.3404
CFD            Short         4833          16.3683
CFD            Short         22371         16.3802
CFD            Short         2740          16.4613
CFD            Short         59269         16.4647
CFD            Short         89280         16.5604
CFD            Short         3841          16.5626
CFD            Short         187944        16.6642
CFD            Short         1704          16.7225
CFD            Short         46444         16.7241

(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                         27 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