Dividend Notification Declaration, etc

Reed International PLC
9 August 2000

Letter dated 8 August 2000

At a Meeting of the Board of Directors of Reed International P.L.C. held today,
it was resolved to pay an interim dividend on the company's ordinary shares in
respect of the six months to 30 June 2000 of 3.1p per ordinary share.  The
ex-dividend date applicable in respect of this dividend payment will be 21
August 2000 and the dividend will be paid on 18 September 2000 to shareholders
on the Register on 25 August 2000.

The Board has also approved for submission to the Stock Exchange, on behalf of
Reed International P.L.C. and Elsevier NV, and release to the Press on 9 August
2000, a Statement containing the interim results of the Reed Elsevier combined
businesses for the six months to 30 June 2000, which incorporates summary
financial information in respect of both Reed International P.L.C. and Elsevier
NV for the same period.