EPT Disclosure

FORM 38.5(a) DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY (Rule 38.5(a) of the Takeover Code) 1. KEY INFORMATION +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Name of exempt principal trader | HSBC Bank Plc | |------------------------------------------------+------------------| | Company dealt in | BHP Billiton Plc | |------------------------------------------------+------------------| | Class of relevant security to which the | Ordinary Shares | | dealings being disclosed relate (Note 1) | | |------------------------------------------------+------------------| | Date of dealing | 11th April 2008 | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ 2. DEALINGS (Note 2) (a) Purchases and sales +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Total number of | Highest price paid | Lowest price | | securities | (Note 3) | paid | | purchased | | (Note 3) | |---------------------------+--------------------+------------------| | 224,481 | GBP 17.92 | GBP 17.33 | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Total number of | Highest price | Lowest price | | securities | received | received | | sold | (Note 3) | (Note 3) | |-------------------------+--------------------+--------------------| | 223,475 | GBP 17.89 | GBP 17.35 | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ (b) Derivatives transactions (other than options) +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Product name, | Long/short | Number of | Price per | | e.g. CFD | (Note 4) | securities | unit | | | | (Note 5) | (Note 3) | |----------------+------------+---------------------+---------------| | CFD | Short | 16,864 | 17.46 | |----------------+------------+---------------------+---------------| | | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ (c) Options transactions in respect of existing securities (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Product |Writing, |Number of securities to|Exercise|Type, e.g.|Expiry|Option | |name,e.g|selling, |which the option |price |American, |date |moneypaid/received| |call |purchasing,|relates (Note 5) | |European | |per unit (Note 3) | |option |varying etc| | |etc. | | | |--------+-----------+-----------------------+--------+----------+------+------------------| | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ (ii) Exercising +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Product name, e.g. | Number of securities | Exercise price per | | call option | | unit | | | | (Note 3) | |-----------------------+----------------------+--------------------| | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ 3. OTHER INFORMATION Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is referenced. If none, this should be stated. .................................................. .................................................. +------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Date of disclosure | 14th April 2008 | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Contact name | Seema Soni | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Telephone number | 0207 992 1565 | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Name of offeree/offeror with which connected | BHP Billiton Plc | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Nature of connection (Note 6) | Connected Advisor | +------------------------------------------------------------------+ Notes The Notes on Form 38.5(a) can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk ---END OF MESSAGE---