Purchase of Own Securities

THE HENDERSON SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
27 July 1999


MARKET PURCHASE BY THE COMPANY OF ITS OWN ORDINARY SHARES

The Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc hereby gives notification
that, pursuant to the authority granted to the Company at the Annual General
Meeting on 25 September 1998 to make purchases of the Company's own shares, a
market purchase of 273,000 ordinary shares of 25p each of the Company was made
today at a price of 283p per share.

Following the purchase and cancellation of the above shares, 176,483,000
ordinary shares of 25p each will remain in issue.

For further information please contact:

John Alexander/Stephen Westwood
Henderson Investors
Tel:  [phone]

or

Vicki Staveacre
Henderson Press office
Telephone [phone]