Rule 8.3 - MCALPINE(ALFRED)

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              MCALPINE(ALFRED)
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.25
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               11 December 2007

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       2,669,271      2.60%       914,477      0.89%
securities
(2) Derivatives      914,181      0.89%     1,089,095      1.06%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and            0      0.00%             0      0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total              3,583,452      3.49%     2,003,572      1.95%


(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      13,173               5.3193
Purchase      34                   5.3109
Purchase      10,623               5.3057
Purchase      13,173               5.3193
Purchase      11,689               5.3174
Purchase      1,528                5.3300
Sale          13,173               5.3193
Sale          7,299                5.3183
Sale          2,367                5.2850
Sale          9,936                5.3156
Sale          4,029                5.2878


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         10623         5.3057
CFD            Short         34            5.3108
CFD            Short         11689         5.3174
CFD            Short         13173         5.3192
CFD            Short         1528          5.33
CFD            Long          2367          5.285
CFD            Long          4029          5.2878
CFD            Long          9936          5.3156
CFD            Long          7299          5.3183
CFD            Long          28758         5.3193


(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)                 NO


Date of disclosure                         12 December 2007
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