Rule 8.3 - BOC GROUP 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              BOC GROUP PLC
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP 0.25
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               31 JANUARY 2006



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         26,247,859    (5.18%)       345,427   (0.07%)
securities
(2) Derivatives          31,243    (0.01%)       206,594   (0.04%)
(other than
options)
(3) Options and         100,264    (0.02%)             0   (0.00%)
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total                26,379,366    (5.21%)       552,021   (0.11%)

(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      2,003                14.8200
Purchase      931                  14.9750
Purchase      200                  14.8237
Purchase      2,600                14.7800
Sale          600                  15.0000
Sale          200                  15.0000
Sale          3,500                15.0000
Sale          500                  15.0000
Sale          1,750                15.0000
Sale          770                  14.8108
Sale          400                  15.0000
Sale          500                  14.8108
Sale          600                  15.0000
Sale          200                  14.7908
Sale          2,500                15.0000
Sale          275                  14.8008
Sale          1,000                14.8900
Sale          225                  15.0000
Sale          350                  15.0000
Sale          600                  15.0000
Sale          250                  15.0000
Sale          400                  15.0000
Sale          200                  14.7908
Sale          250                  15.0000
Sale          48                   14.8108
Sale          500                  14.8108
Sale          260                  14.7908
Sale          1,000                14.8900
Sale          1,700                15.0000
Sale          330                  15.0000
Sale          200                  14.8808
Sale          400                  15.0000
Sale          450                  14.8208
Sale          200                  15.0000
Sale          300                  14.8208
Sale          1,200                15.0000
Sale          370                  14.8108
Sale          150                  15.0000
Sale          500                  15.0000
Sale          650                  15.0000
Sale          800                  14.8108
Sale          110                  15.0000
Sale          300                  15.0000
Sale          420                  15.0000
Sale          220                  14.7908
Sale          150                  14.8108
Sale          275                  14.8008
Sale          450                  14.8108
Sale          1,750                15.0000
Sale          230                  14.8100
Sale          650                  15.0000
Sale          550                  14.7908
Sale          200                  14.9900
Sale          2,000                15.0000
Sale          220                  14.7908
Sale          300                  15.0000
Sale          250                  14.8808
Sale          390                  14.8108
Sale          200                  15.0000
Sale          210                  15.0000
Sale          300                  14.9408
Sale          6,500                15.0000
Sale          500                  15.0000
Sale          350                  15.0000
Sale          6,500                15.0000
Sale          1,000                14.9108
Sale          600                  15.0000
Sale          190                  14.8208
Sale          3,868                14.9605
Sale          868                  14.9605
Sale          697                  14.9605
Sale          400                  14.7463
Sale          177,536              14.9377

 (b)  Derivatives transactions
 (other than options)

 Product     Long/Short    Number of Securities Price Per
 name,       (Note 6)      (Note 7)             Unit (GBP)
 e.g. CFD
 CFD         Long          400                  14.7463
 CFD         Long          177,536              14.9377
 CFD         Short         200                  14.8237
 CFD         Short         2,600                14.7800

 (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 (Note
                varying etc.      relates (Note 7)                                      5)



 (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.





 Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached?
 (Note 9)                 NO


 Date of disclosure                         1 FEBRUARY 2006
 Contact name                               BARCLAYS CORPORATE SECRETARIAT
 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