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 October 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     120,099,712     5.44%      1,333,344     0.06%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,740,257     0.12%     18,457,364     0.84%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and        2,700     0.00%          1,000     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total            122,842,669     5.57%     19,791,708     0.90%

(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           161,345             8.7438
Purchase           15,000              7.9130
Purchase           2,812               8.1084
Purchase           470                 8.9043
Purchase           80,987              8.5514
Purchase           33,023              8.3612
Purchase           1,663               8.3671
Purchase           99                  8.1000
Purchase           89,293              8.4852
Purchase           7,958               8.2582
Purchase           6,000               8.6613
Purchase           99                  8.5711
Purchase           65,822              8.3866
Purchase           4,790               8.9550
Purchase           2,084               8.3144
Purchase           6,168               8.9550
Purchase           5,583               8.3671
Purchase           500                 8.1997
Purchase           6,354               8.3671
Purchase           565,385             8.4438
Purchase           2,575               8.9550
Purchase           999                 8.4400
Purchase           2,733               8.3238
Purchase           155                 8.5297
Purchase           9,680               8.6750
Purchase           15,883              8.1853
Purchase           600                 8.6500
Purchase           5,314               8.0538
Purchase           2,410               8.3671
Purchase           23,855              8.9550
Purchase           45,875              8.9550
Purchase           8,819               8.3671
Purchase           927,959             8.3867
Purchase           26,771              8.9550
Purchase           5,232               8.3263
Purchase           138,506             8.2650
Purchase           900                 8.9576
Purchase           46,828              8.9550
Purchase           200                 7.8850
Sale               1,144               14.9600 USD
Sale               270                 8.6325
Sale               23,859              8.5135
Sale               12,432              8.0771
Sale               75                  8.5827
Sale               1,150               8.1303
Sale               935                 14.9600 USD
Sale               100,000             8.9550
Sale               87,244              8.5516
Sale               200                 7.8850
Sale               2,200               8.2547
Sale               786,993             8.4803
Sale               249,455             8.4348
Sale               678,998             8.5092
Sale               93,326              8.6301
Sale               1,144               14.9600 USD
Sale               64,372              8.3818
Sale               8,737               8.4138
Sale               18,496              8.3828
Sale               600                 8.6500
Sale               116,238             8.7657
Sale               121                 9.2558
Sale               42,000              8.5541
Sale               275                 8.7405
Sale               1,075               14.9600 USD

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          200           7.885
CFD            Long          2200          8.2547
CFD            Long          64372         8.3817
CFD            Long          358881        8.3967
CFD            Long          8737          8.4138
CFD            Long          249455        8.4347
CFD            Long          48829         8.4766
CFD            Long          678998        8.5092
CFD            Long          23859         8.5135
CFD            Long          425815        8.5493
CFD            Long          87244         8.5516
CFD            Long          42000         8.5541
CFD            Long          75            8.5826
CFD            Long          93326         8.63
CFD            Long          600           8.65
CFD            Long          2297          8.7441
CFD            Long          116238        8.7656
CFD            Short         200           7.885
CFD            Short         15000         7.9129
CFD            Short         2812          8.1083
CFD            Short         24527         8.1717
CFD            Short         15883         8.1852
CFD            Short         7958          8.2582
CFD            Short         2733          8.3238
CFD            Short         338493        8.3465
CFD            Short         993781        8.3866
CFD            Short         89293         8.4851
CFD            Short         80987         8.5513
CFD            Short         99            8.5711
CFD            Short         202365        8.6394
CFD            Short         600           8.65
CFD            Short         6000          8.6612
CFD            Short         161345        8.7437
CFD            Short         470           8.9042
CFD            Short         900           8.9576

(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                         20 October 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                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         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

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