Holding(s) in Company

IQE PLC
30 March 2006


                            IQE plc (the 'Company')


                               Holding in Company
                                        


The Company was informed on 29 March 2006 by Gartmore Investment Management plc
that, following the sale of 2,700,000 ordinary shares of 1p each in the Company
('Ordinary Shares') on 27 March 2006 and a sale of 500,000 Ordinary Shares on 28
March 2006, Gartmore Investment Limited, Gartmore Fund Managers Limited and
Gartmore Global Partners had a reportable interest in 32,607,409 Ordinary Shares
representing approximately 10.31 per cent. of the issued share capital of the
Company. The above Ordinary Shares are held as follows:

Beneficial owner                         Number of Percentage of      Registered
                                   Ordinary Shares  issued share        holder
                                                       capital

Gartmore Fund Managers Ltd A/C        15,242,414          4.82%      HSBC Global

Gartmore UK & Irish Smaller                                      Custody Nominee
Companies                                                               UK Ltd

Gartmore Smaller Companies Trust       4,876,952          1.54%  BNY GIL CLT A/C
plc                                                                 NOMS LTD A/C
                                                                           LST

Strathclyde Pension Fund               7,744,279          2.45%         Nortrust
                                                                        Nominees
                                                                      Litmited

The Alphagen Volantis Fund             3,437,163          1.09%          Vidacos
Limited                                                             Nominees Ltd
                                                                      A/C 1945

Gartmore Growth Opportunities          1,306,601          0.41%  BNY GIL CLT A/C
plc                                                                 NOMS LTD A/C
                                                                          NWSC
                           Total      32,607,409         10.31%



30 March 2006







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