Rule 8.3 - SINGER & FRIEDLANDER

FORM 8.3 Lodge with a RIS or Newstrack, if appropriate, and the Takeover Panel. Use separate form for each class of securities in which dealings have been made. Date of Disclosure 27 April 2005 DISCLOSURE UNDER RULES 8.1(a), 8.1(b) (i) and 8.3 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS Date of Dealing 26 April 2005 Dealing in SINGER & FRIEDLANDER (1) Class of securities (eg ordinary shares) ORD GBP 0.135 (2) Amount bought Amount sold Price per unit 0 14,925 3.1400 0 5,565 3.1424 Barclays PLC is party to certain CFD transactions (see below). The resultant holdings total includes hedges against CFDs (short 92,080 shares). (3) Resultant total of the same class owned or controlled (and percentage of class) 8,823,091 (5.09%) (4) Party making disclosure Barclays PLC (5) EITHER (a) Name of purchaser / vendor (Note 1) (b) if dealing for discretionary clients, name of fund management organisation Barclays PLC (6) Reason for disclosure (Note 2) (a) associate of (i) offeror (Note 3) NO (ii) offeree NO Specify which category or categories of associate (1-8 overleaf) (b) Rule 8.3 (I.e disclosure because of ownership or control of 1% or more of the class of relevant securities dealt in) YES Signed for and on behalf of the party named in (4) above Geoff Smith Telephone and extension number 0207 116 2913 Form 8 Enclosure A purchaser of a CFD will realise a gain if the price of the underlying security goes up. A seller of a CFD will realise a gain if the price of the underlying security goes down. The CFD contracts are open ended and there is no rollover into new contracts. Contracts for Differences Singer & Friedlander CFD Long / Short Trade Date Buy/Sell Quantity Open Price Long 22/01/2002 B 20,991 2.5183 Long 24/01/2002 B 26,152 2.4780 Long 01/02/2002 B 20,747 2.3969 Long 25/06/2002 B 28,329 1.7837 Long 16/10/2002 B 40,519 1.3030 Long 28/02/2003 B 151,016 2.1186 Long 19/07/2004 B 26,952 2.2155 Long 20/07/2004 B 10,000 2.2210 Long 26/07/2004 B 10,038 2.2860 Long 30/07/2004 B 26,798 2.2627 Long 04/08/2004 B 21,787 2.4313 Long 01/09/2004 B 17,902 2.7563 Long 09/09/2004 B 14,712 2.8097 Long 10/09/2004 B 24,957 2.8405 Long 14/09/2004 B 24,443 2.8075 Long 30/09/2004 B 17,039 2.8411 Long 05/10/2004 B 3,346 2.8028 Long 05/10/2004 B 8,827 2.8090 Long 06/10/2004 B 255,895 2.8717 Long 13/10/2004 B 64,752 2.9830 Long 15/10/2004 B 34,199 3.1000 Long 25/10/2004 B 18,050 2.8000 Long 28/10/2004 B 18,430 2.7505 Long 29/10/2004 B 6,925 2.7386 Long 01/11/2004 B 11,270 2.7678 Long 05/11/2004 B 73,449 2.8894 Long 09/11/2004 B 1,970 2.8466 Long 09/11/2004 B 24,117 2.8466 Long 17/11/2004 B 58,474 2.8585 Long 18/11/2004 B 111,130 2.8463 Long 24/11/2004 B 11,095 2.7909 Long 25/11/2004 B 6,762 2.7772 Long 03/12/2004 B 24,711 2.7694 Long 20/09/2004 B 1,300 2.7650 Long 22/09/2004 B 900 2.6975 Long 23/09/2004 B 8,210 2.6942 Long 24/09/2004 B 5,600 2.6924 Long 30/09/2004 B 11,353 2.8424 Long 05/10/2004 B 3,400 2.8959 Long 05/10/2004 B 3,267 2.8700 Long 06/10/2004 B 5,890 2.8699 Long 06/10/2004 B 1,491 2.8650 Long 07/10/2004 B 4,516 2.8928 Long 11/10/2004 B 2,912 2.9700 Long 12/10/2004 B 1,828 3.0781 Long 13/10/2004 B 9,127 2.9969 Long 14/10/2004 B 896 3.0850 Long 14/10/2004 B 3,262 3.0700 Long 18/10/2004 B 17,440 3.0260 Long 19/10/2004 B 12,369 3.1096 Long 20/10/2004 B 25,854 3.0800 Long 21/10/2004 B 10,906 3.0951 Long 22/10/2004 B 3,318 3.0234 Long 25/10/2004 B 14,000 2.8009 Long 01/11/2004 B 277 2.7575 Long 04/11/2004 B 22,251 2.8218 Long 10/11/2004 B 2,900 2.8850 Long 11/11/2004 B 1,300 2.8675 Long 17/11/2004 B 3,907 2.8611 Long 23/11/2004 B 1,200 2.8425 Long 30/11/2004 B 7,241 2.8056 Long 08/12/2004 B 2,831 2.7275 Long 15/12/2004 B 1,500 2.6975 Long 05/01/2005 B 621 2.6900 Long 10/01/2005 B 5,585 2.6900 Long 18/01/2005 B 2,626 2.6800 Long 21/01/2005 B 895 2.6775 Long 24/01/2005 B 1,221 2.6450 Long 26/01/2005 B 1,648 2.6800 Long 27/01/2005 B 1,935 2.6825 Long 28/01/2005 B 1,117 2.6800 Long 04/02/2005 B 700 2.7950 Long 11/02/2005 B 2,900 2.9975 Long 16/02/2005 B 22,885 2.9060 Long 21/02/2005 B 14,200 2.8838 Long 22/02/2005 B 5,912 2.8415 Long 23/02/2005 B 11,952 2.8462 Long 24/02/2005 B 1,942 2.8925 Long 08/03/2005 B 4,439 2.7503 Long 09/03/2005 B 3,411 2.7475 Long 10/03/2005 B 4,136 2.8000 Long 14/03/2005 B 1,300 2.7225 Long 22/03/2005 B 9,000 2.8500 Long 22/03/2005 B 2,277 2.8337 Long 23/03/2005 B 37,400 2.7920 Long 23/03/2005 B 597 2.7950 Long 29/03/2005 B 12,717 2.7279 Long 30/03/2005 B 9,600 2.7239 Long 30/03/2005 B 11,781 2.7289 Long 01/04/2005 B 1,857 2.9450 Long 04/04/2005 B 39,956 3.1427 Long 04/04/2005 B 17,551 3.1028 Long 07/04/2005 B 62,572 3.2109 Long 08/04/2005 B 382 3.2400 Long 11/04/2005 B 2,700 3.2100 Long 11/04/2005 B 19,599 3.1920 Long 12/04/2005 B 25,842 3.1561 Long 13/04/2005 B 6,800 3.1950 Long 14/04/2005 B 4,500 3.1650 Short 19/11/2001 S 149,891 2.2734 Short 22/11/2001 S 30,320 2.2500 Short 11/12/2001 S 36,613 2.3200 Short 25/04/2002 S 36,770 2.2500 Short 29/08/2002 S 34,160 1.5917 Short 28/02/2003 S 151,016 2.1186 Short 29/01/2004 S 23,010 2.1513 Short 16/02/2004 S 25,763 2.2300 Short 04/05/2004 S 22,200 0.0000 Short 04/04/2005 S 17,825 3.0865 Short 07/04/2005 S 376,230 3.2119 Short 11/04/2005 S 280,725 3.2004 Short 12/04/2005 S 10,137 3.1565 Short 14/04/2005 S 12,024 3.1796 Short 15/04/2005 S 53,500 3.1400 Short 01/10/2004 S 2,200 2.8025 Short 08/10/2004 S 1,800 2.8600 Short 11/10/2004 S 2,600 2.9675 Short 12/10/2004 S 2,033 3.0300 Short 27/10/2004 S 24,650 2.7549 Short 28/10/2004 S 29,770 2.7603 Short 01/11/2004 S 20,553 2.7658 Short 02/11/2004 S 12,200 2.7900 Short 05/11/2004 S 12,800 2.8952 Short 08/11/2004 S 2,400 2.8450 Short 09/11/2004 S 8,266 2.7914 Short 11/11/2004 S 4,600 2.8198 Short 12/11/2004 S 13,035 2.8693 Short 12/11/2004 S 1,000 2.8275 Short 16/11/2004 S 269 2.8225 Short 17/11/2004 S 1,137 2.8675 Short 18/11/2004 S 12,083 2.8524 Short 18/11/2004 S 11,968 2.8561 Short 19/11/2004 S 13,563 2.8386 Short 19/11/2004 S 9,914 2.8448 Short 22/11/2004 S 5,084 2.7807 Short 23/11/2004 S 16,363 2.7726 Short 24/11/2004 S 3,725 2.7695 Short 24/11/2004 S 3,300 2.7850 Short 01/12/2004 S 4,600 2.7719 Short 02/12/2004 S 9,198 2.7605 Short 02/12/2004 S 1,837 2.7836 Short 03/12/2004 S 2,936 2.7460 Short 07/12/2004 S 2,474 2.7150 Short 13/12/2004 S 2,605 2.7000 Short 14/12/2004 S 3,468 2.6699 Short 5/12/2004 S 4,177 2.7226 Short 15/12/2004 S 2,961 2.7200 Short 16/12/2004 S 4,300 2.7358 Short 20/12/2004 S 3,732 2.7126 Short 20/12/2004 S 2,408 2.7200 Short 21/12/2004 S 5,200 2.7000 Short 22/12/2004 S 6,611 2.6982 Short 23/12/2004 S 2,112 2.6000 Short 23/12/2004 S 900 2.6250 Short 29/12/2004 S 11,723 2.7527 Short 29/12/2004 S 1,482 2.7487 Short 04/01/2005 S 12,832 2.6940 Short 10/01/2005 S 200 2.6925 Short 12/01/2005 S 1,000 2.7200 Short 13/01/2005 S 2,189 2.6748 Short 02/02/2005 S 1,256 2.7050 Short 04/02/2005 S 2,336 2.8146 Short 04/02/2005 S 3,898 2.7960 Short 07/02/2005 S 5,347 2.9498 Short 07/02/2005 S 5,774 2.9317 Short 08/02/2005 S 4,230 2.9325 Short 08/02/2005 S 1,100 2.9425 Short 09/02/2005 S 5,900 2.9500 Short 11/02/2005 S 3,213 2.9467 Short 11/02/2005 S 1,500 2.9725 Short 23/02/2005 S 400 2.8375 Short 25/02/2005 S 2,834 2.8025 Short 25/02/2005 S 3,850 2.7938 Short 28/02/2005 S 4,970 2.8450 Short 28/02/2005 S 1,300 2.7900 Short 01/03/2005 S 12,156 2.8188 Short 02/03/2005 S 9,100 2.7689 Short 02/03/2005 S 10,255 2.8085 Short 03/03/2005 S 4,992 2.7675 Short 04/03/2005 S 11,398 2.7419 Short 04/03/2005 S 2,900 2.7725 Short 09/03/2005 S 800 2.7275 Short 10/03/2005 S 2,033 2.7608 Short 11/03/2005 S 9,241 2.7207 Short 11/03/2005 S 5,620 2.7690 Short 16/03/2005 S 4,253 2.7375 Short 16/03/2005 S 62,572 2.7438 Short 18/03/2005 S 19,441 2.8061 Short 24/03/2005 S 2,118 2.8100 Short 31/03/2005 S 7,700 2.7927 Short 01/04/2005 S 43,304 3.1060 Short 05/04/2005 S 1,400 3.1200 Short 06/04/2005 S 1,200 3.1200 Short 07/04/2005 S 15,814 3.2063 Long 18/04/2005 B 2,300 3.1025 Short 18/04/2005 S 3,100 3.0775 Short 19/04/2005 S 22,391 3.0647 Short 19/04/2005 S 16,000 3.0520 Long 21/04/2005 B 2,000 3.1475 Long 21/04/2005 B 7,400 3.1287 Long 26/04/2005 B 14,925 3.1400 Long 26/04/2005 B 5,565 3.1424