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               04 February 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      106,175,033      4.76%     5,227,785     0.23%
securities
(2) Derivatives     5,605,857      0.25%     4,109,416     0.18%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and     1,003,600      0.04%       752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             112,784,490      5.05%     10,089,976    0.45%


(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      36,978                16.2411
Purchase      1,773                 16.3934
Purchase      50                    16.3300
Purchase      235                   16.1765
Purchase      8,517                 16.3124
Purchase      39,000                16.1274
Purchase      11,508                15.9456
Purchase      17,925                16.4900
Purchase      73                    Transfer
Purchase      14,657                16.4514
Purchase      291                   16.2573
Purchase      43,004                16.3780
Purchase      5,259                 16.4039
Purchase      64,700                16.4054
Purchase      98,170                16.3284
Purchase      1,773                 16.3934
Purchase      2,834                 16.3829
Purchase      600,000               Transfer
Purchase      28,000                16.4900
Purchase      30,938                16.1859
Purchase      518,625               16.2482
Purchase      39,000                16.1244
Purchase      300                   16.3588
Purchase      2,730                 16.5353
Purchase      1,991                 15.9200
Sale          457                   16.4869
Sale          95,257                16.3000
Sale          350,912               16.4100
Sale          3,727                 16.3359
Sale          44,068                16.3355
Sale          127,000               16.4900
Sale          250                   16.2912
Sale          250                   16.5712
Sale          6,166                 16.4900
Sale          39,000                16.1244
Sale          5,259                 16.4039
Sale          64,700                16.4055
Sale          291                   16.2573
Sale          189,829               16.4764
Sale          64,700                16.4054
Sale          95,257                16.3000
Sale          73                    Transfer
Sale          72,257                16.3900
Sale          100                   16.2312
Sale          74                    16.4917
Sale          1,773                 16.3934
Sale          55,604                16.4318
Sale          145                   16.1335
Sale          500                   16.3112
Sale          500                   16.5512
Sale          86,494                16.4023
Sale          77,221                16.4614
Sale          600                   16.3112
Sale          5,259                 16.4039
Sale          3,214                 16.5786
Sale          95,257                16.5100
Sale          137,497               16.3755
Sale          73                    16.5817
Sale          1,620                 16.4900
Sale          240                   16.4525
Sale          291                   16.2573
Sale          925                   16.6100

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         39000         16.1274
CFD            Short         30938         16.1858
CFD            Short         36978         16.241
CFD            Short         518625        16.2482
CFD            Short         8517          16.3124
CFD            Short         98170         16.3283
CFD            Short         43004         16.3779
CFD            Short         2834          16.3828
CFD            Short         1773          16.3934
CFD            Short         8292          16.4038
CFD            Short         11233         16.404
CFD            Short         28599         16.4253
CFD            Short         14606         16.4513
CFD            Short         51            16.4915
CFD            Long          291           16.2572
CFD            Long          44068         16.3354
CFD            Long          88310         16.3745
CFD            Long          35595         16.3747
CFD            Long          13592         16.3838
CFD            Long          72257         16.3899
CFD            Long          5259          16.4039
CFD            Long          350912        16.4099
CFD            Long          55604         16.4317
CFD            Long          77221         16.4613
CFD            Long          189829        16.4764
CFD            Long          457           16.4868

(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                         05 February 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   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000       EURO           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   150                    1,500.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   450                    1,400.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   500                    1,500.0000       EURO           15/02/2008
Option            Purchased   600                    1,450.0000       EURO           15/02/2008
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,600.0000       EURO           15/02/2008

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