Rule 8.3 - LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE

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              LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE PLC
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP 0.058333
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               06 FEBRUARY 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              11,980,465     (4.71%)       1,531     (0.00%)
securities
(2) Derivatives            2,754,510     (1.08%)           0     (0.00%)
(other than options)
(3) Options and                    0     (0.00%)           0     (0.00%)
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total                     14,734,975     (5.79%)       1,531     (0.00%)



(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      3,028                7.7550
Purchase      900                  7.7700
Purchase      473                  7.7700
Purchase      219                  7.7700
Purchase      437                  7.7600
Purchase      414                  7.7650
Purchase      440                  7.7700
Purchase      3,000                7.7700
Purchase      622                  7.7700
Purchase      668                  7.7550
Purchase      537                  7.7700
Purchase      1,749                7.7700
Purchase      2,299                7.7700
Purchase      3,000                7.7700
Purchase      24                   7.7700
Purchase      4,916                7.7600
Purchase      3,877                7.7700
Purchase      562                  7.7700
Purchase      2,692                7.7650
Purchase      1,958                7.7650
Purchase      2,396                7.7700
Purchase      3,569                7.7650
Purchase      4,424                7.7550
Purchase      3,000                7.7700
Purchase      1,000                7.7700
Purchase      50,071               7.7655
Purchase      460                  7.7550
Purchase      692                  7.7700
Purchase      2,715                7.7700



(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product    Long/Short    Number of Securities  Price Per
name,      (Note 6)      (Note 7)              Unit (GBP)
e.g. CFD
Swap       Long          50,071                7.7655


(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                         07 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