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               18 MAY 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)





(1) Relevant          26,044,906   (5.14%)     107,824      (0.02%)
securities
(2) Derivatives           26,111   (0.01%)     134,546      (0.03%)
(other than options)
(3) Options and          100,000   (0.02%)           0      (0.00%)
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total                 26,171,017   (5.16%)     242,370      (0.05%)



(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      306                  15.6600
Purchase      839                  15.6327
Purchase      12,230               15.6327
Purchase      644                  15.6327
Purchase      4,521                15.6300
Purchase      1,280                15.6327
Purchase      2,932                15.6306
Purchase      123                  15.6324
Purchase      4,521                15.6300
Purchase      10                   15.6420
Sale          325                  15.6200
Sale          500                  15.6200
Sale          340                  15.6200
Sale          925                  15.6200
Sale          275                  15.6200
Sale          421                  15.6200
Sale          450                  15.6200
Sale          150                  15.6221
Sale          500                  15.6340
Sale          380                  15.6200
Sale          325                  15.6200
Sale          620                  15.6200
Sale          220                  15.6200
Sale          230                  15.6200
Sale          200                  15.6240
Sale          100                  15.6200
Sale          125                  15.6221
Sale          225                  15.6200
Sale          680                  15.6200
Sale          334                  15.6200
Sale          405                  15.6200
Sale          350                  15.6200
Sale          400                  15.6240
Sale          500                  15.6340
Sale          300                  15.6200
Sale          528                  15.6200
Sale          225                  15.6200
Sale          630                  15.6221
Sale          430                  15.6200
Sale          545                  15.6200
Sale          220                  15.6200
Sale          450                  15.6200
Sale          185                  15.6200
Sale          4,000                15.6200
Sale          295                  15.6200
Sale          300                  15.6200
Sale          353                  15.6321
Sale          440                  15.6200
Sale          470                  15.6200
Sale          320                  15.6221
Sale          520                  15.6200
Sale          400                  15.6240
Sale          350                  15.6200
Sale          480                  15.6200
Sale          265                  15.6200
Sale          300                  15.6200
Sale          420                  15.6327
Sale          1,000                15.6320
Sale          200                  15.6321
Sale          4,521                15.6300
 Sale          600                   15.6261

 (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          600                  15.6261
 CFD         Long          934                  15.6284
 CFD         Long          123                  15.6276
 CFD         Short         10                   15.6420
 CFD         Short         123                  15.6324

 (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 (Note 7)



 (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                         19 MAY 2006
 Contact name                               BARCLAYS COMPLIANCE
 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