Purchase of Own Securities

Merrill Lynch UK Inv Tst PLC
13 December 2001

                            PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES



1) Date of the purchase:

12 December 2001

2) Number of Ordinary Shares purchased:

175,000

3) Highest and lowest price paid per share (excluding expenses):

815p

4) The issued share capital of the Company following this buy-back will be:

Ordinary shares - 13,868,562

5) Name of contact for queries:

Miss H Harvey

020 7743 5307

6) Name of authorised Company official responsible for this notification:

Miss H Harvey

for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Group Services Limited

Secretary

7) Date of notification:

12 December 2001