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               17 April 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       99,138,285     4.49%      4,500,420     0.20%
securities
(2) Derivatives     4,642,505     0.21%      3,359,031     0.15%
options)
(3) Options and     1,002,450     0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             104,783,240     4.75%      8,612,226     0.39%

(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 Securities      Price per unit
                                                  (GBP)
Purchase                182                       Transfer
Purchase                984                       18.7957
Purchase                6,886                     18.4865
Purchase                3,575                     18.6
Purchase                624                       18.4181
Purchase                2,687                     18.65
Purchase                182                       Transfer
Purchase                150                       18.6488
Purchase                782                       18.4181
Purchase                5,550                     18.1534
Purchase                18,190                    18.4572
Purchase                536                       18.4181
Purchase                716                       18.3461
Purchase                895                       18.3461
Purchase                198,252                   18.3068
Purchase                29                        17.9483
Purchase                238,091                   18.4779
Purchase                56                        Transfer
Purchase                140,182                   18.31
Purchase                8,216                     18.2859
Purchase                3,744                     18.4181
Purchase                181                       Transfer
Purchase                12,493                    18.65
Purchase                3,160                     18.6
Purchase                1,700                     18.3424
Purchase                315                       Transfer
Purchase                145,620                   18.425
Purchase                25,620                    18.15
Purchase                17,372                    18.4281
Purchase                6,000                     18.6035
Purchase                1,163                     18.81
Purchase                20,366                    18.5554
Purchase                25,000                    18.0694
Purchase                711                       18.15
Purchase                402                       18.4235
Purchase                818                       18.4181
Sale                    181                       Transfer
Sale                    500                       18.28
Sale                    25,620                    18.15
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    175                       18.6112
Sale                    451,536                   18.6569
Sale                    4,000                     18.4025
Sale                    182                       Transfer
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    30,000                    18.2033
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    4,000                     18.67
Sale                    165                       18.28
Sale                    230                       18.28
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    230                       18.28
Sale                    450                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    415                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    450                       18.61
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    18,689                    18.3316
Sale                    17,400                    18.1983
Sale                    210,254                   18.7327
Sale                    93,455                    18.03
Sale                    150,973                   18.7316
Sale                    18,450                    18.7024
Sale                    3,160                     18.65
Sale                    149                       Transfer
Sale                    200                       18.61
Sale                    229                       Transfer
Sale                    90                        18.28
Sale                    2,687                     18.65
Sale                    56                        Transfer
Sale                    18,505                    18.1639
Sale                    103                       18.2617
Sale                    1,300                     18.6738
Sale                    315                       Transfer
Sale                    43                        Transfer
Sale                    35,000                    18.526
Sale                    250                       18.61
Sale                    300                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    60                        18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    170                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    25,000                    18.15
Sale                    160                       18.28
Sale                    182                       Transfer
Sale                    550                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    400                       18.61
Sale                    400                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    450                       18.28
Sale                    10,653                    18.3661
Sale                    500                       18.61
Sale                    350                       18.61
Sale                    230                       18.28
Sale                    145                       18.61
Sale                    160                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    800                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.61
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    230                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    250                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    250                       18.61
Sale                    550                       18.28
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    525                       18.28
Sale                    324                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.61
Sale                    2,314                     18.15
Sale                    43,275                    18.725
Sale                    46,912                    18.4052
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    400                       18.28
Sale                    500                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    175                       18.3912
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    130                       18.61
Sale                    400                       18.61
Sale                    550                       18.28
Sale                    350                       18.61
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.3912
Sale                    400                       18.61
Sale                    500                       18.28
Sale                    700                       18.28
Sale                    250                       18.61
Sale                    400                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    1,500                     18.28
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    270                       18.28
Sale                    50                        18.28
Sale                    300                       18.61
Sale                    500                       18.28
Sale                    125                       18.28
Sale                    400                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.6912
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.61
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    400                       18.61
Sale                    350                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.61
Sale                    250                       18.61
Sale                    200                       18.61
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    350                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    400                       18.28
Sale                    700                       18.28
Sale                    800                       18.28
Sale                    750                       18.28
Sale                    370                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    250                       18.28
Sale                    1,800                     18.28
Sale                    100                       18.28
Sale                    2,200                     18.28
Sale                    600                       18.28
Sale                    150                       18.28
Sale                    350                       18.28
Sale                    300                       18.28
Sale                    1,400                     18.28
Sale                    700                       18.28
Sale                    200                       18.28
Sale                    400                       18.61
Sale                    200                       18.61
Sale                    300                       18.28

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          18505         18.1638
CFD            Long          17400         18.1982
CFD            Long          18689         18.3316
CFD            Long          10653         18.366
CFD            Long          451536        18.6569
CFD            Long          1300          18.6738
CFD            Long          18450         18.7023
CFD            Long          150973        18.7316
CFD            Long          210254        18.7327
CFD            Short         25000         18.0694
CFD            Short         5550          18.1534
CFD            Short         8216          18.2859
CFD            Short         198252        18.3068
CFD            Short         1700          18.3424
CFD            Short         402           18.4235
CFD            Short         145620        18.425
CFD            Short         17372         18.428
CFD            Short         18190         18.4571
CFD            Short         238091        18.4778
CFD            Short         6886          18.4865
CFD            Short         20366         18.5553
CFD            Short         6000          18.6035
CFD            Short         984           18.7957

(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
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.


None

Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         18 April 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                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000       EURO           20/06/2008
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