Directors' Notification of Dealing in Shares

Benchmark Group PLC
17 May 2000


BENCHMARK GROUP PLC

EXERCISE OF SHARE OPTIONS BY DIRECTORS

Benchmark Group PLC ('the Company') announces that options over 50p Ordinary
shares granted under the 1996 Unapproved Executive Share Option Scheme have
today been exercised by two executive Directors of the Company.

The Directors concerned and the number of options exercised are as follows:

Name of            Number             Exercise             Exercise
Director           of shares          price(p)             value(£) 

N J Kempner        194,493            154.24              299,986
K C Wong           194,493            154.24              299,986 

These shares have today been sold in the market at a price of 224.5p per share.

Following this announcement, Mr N J Kempner held outstanding options totalling
486,942 Ordinary 50p shares and Mr K C Wong held outstanding options totalling
415,732 Ordinary 50p shares.

Also, the Directors' beneficial holding in the Ordinary shares of the Company,
which existed prior to this event, remain unchanged as follows:

N J Kempner                    160,803 (0.13%)
K C Wong                        32,388 (0.03%)