Holding(s) in Company

Reed Elsevier PLC
15 March 2006

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF REED ELSEVIER PLC AND REED ELSEVIER NV


15 March 2006

                              Interests in shares


Reed Elsevier received notification today from Hill Samuel Offshore Trust
Company Limited, the Trustees of the Reed Elsevier Employee Benefit Trust ('the
Trust'), that on 14 March 2006 they purchased 1,200,000 Reed Elsevier PLC
ordinary shares at a price of 533.712p per share and 800,000 Reed Elsevier NV
ordinary shares at a price of €11.5584 per share.

The transaction took place in order to meet the future exercise of entitlements
by employees of Reed Elsevier.  Following the transaction, the Trust now holds
an interest in 11,963,688 ordinary shares in Reed Elsevier PLC and 6,337,532
ordinary shares in Reed Elsevier NV.

The Trust is a discretionary employee benefit trust which may acquire shares in
Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV by means of market purchases on the
appropriate Stock Exchange.  The Trust is operated in conjunction with Reed
Elsevier's share incentive schemes, and provides for the transfer of shares to
employees on the exercise of awards granted under the said schemes.  Executive
directors of Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV are, for technical
disclosure purposes, deemed to be interested in the shares held by the Trust, by
virtue of being potential beneficiaries under the Trust.


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