HSBC Bank Plc; EPT Disclosure - BHP Billiton Plc

DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS WITHOUT RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS, OR WITH RI STATUS BUT NOT DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY (Rule 38.5(b) 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 | 14th Aug 2008 | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+



2. INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a) Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant security dealt in (Note 2)

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | Long | Short | | | | | |---------------+--------------------------+----------------------------------------------| | |Number |Number | | | (%) | (%) | |---------------+--------------------------+----------------------------------------------| |(1) Relevant | |-87,620 | |securities | |(0.00%) | | | | | |---------------+--------------------------+----------------------------------------------| |(2) Derivatives| | | |(other than | | | |options) | | | | | | | |---------------+--------------------------+----------------------------------------------| |(3) Options and| | | |agreements to | | | |purchase/sell | | | | | | | |---------------+--------------------------+----------------------------------------------| |Total | |-87,620 | | | |(0.00%) | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

(b) Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other than the class dealt in (Note 2)

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Class of | Long | Short | |relevant | | | |security: | | | | | | | |---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------| | |Number |Number | | | (%) | (%) | |---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------| |(1) Relevant | | | |securities | | | | | | | |---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------| |(2) Derivatives| | | |(other than | | | |options) | | | | | | | |---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------| |(3) Options and| | | |agreements to | | | |purchase/sell | | | | | | | |---------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------| |Total | | | | | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+

(c) Rights to subscribe (Note 2)

+---------------------------------------+ | Class of relevant security: | Details | | | | |-----------------------------+---------| | | | +---------------------------------------+

3. DEALINGS (Note 3)

(a) Purchases and sales

+----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Purchase/sale | Number of securities | Price per unit (Note 4) | | | | | |---------------+----------------------+-------------------------| | Purchase | 1,600 | 1610 | |---------------+----------------------+-------------------------| | Purchase | 1,800 | 1610 | |---------------+----------------------+-------------------------| | | | | |---------------+----------------------+-------------------------| | | | | |---------------+----------------------+-------------------------| | | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------+

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Product | Long/short (Note | Number of securities | Price per | | name, | 5) | (Note 6) | unit (Note | | e.g. CFD | | | 4) | |----------+------------------+------------------------+------------| | | | | | | | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+



(c) Options transactions in respect of existing securities (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Product |Writing, |Number of |Exercise|Type, e.g.|Expiry|Option money | |name, |selling, |securities to which|price |American, |date |paid/received | |e.g. call|purchasing, |the option relates | |European | |per unit (Note| |option |varying etc.|(Note 6) | |etc. | |4) | | | | | | | | | |---------+------------+-------------------+--------+----------+------+--------------| | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+



(ii) Exercising

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Product name, e.g. | Number of securities | Exercise price per | | call option | | unit (Note 4) | | | | | |--------------------+----------------------+-----------------------| | | | | | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

(d) Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 3)

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Nature of transaction | Details | Price per unit (if applicable) | | (Note 7) | | (Note 4) | | | | | |-----------------------+---------+---------------------------------| | | | | | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+



4. 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. | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+



Is a Supplemental Form 38.5(b) attached? (Note 8) NO



+------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Date of disclosure | 15th Aug 2008 | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Contact name | Frances Davies | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Telephone number | 0207 991 6661 | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Name of offeree/offeror with which connected | BHP Billiton Plc | |----------------------------------------------+-------------------| | Nature of connection (Note 9) | Connected Advisor | +------------------------------------------------------------------+



Notes

The Notes on Form 38.5(b) can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk

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HSBC Bank Plc

http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/

Stock Identifier: XLON.