Issued by:     BHP Billiton Plc                                                 
To:  Company Announcements Office         cc:  New York Stock Exchange          
The London Stock Exchange            Swiss Stock Exchange                  
     Old Broad Street                     New Zealand Stock Exchange            
     London EC2N 1HP                      Johannesburg Stock Exchange           
     United Kingdom                       Euronext Paris                        
Deutsche Bank                         
     Company Announcements Office                                               
     The Australian Stock Exchange                                              
     4th Floor, 20 Bridge Street                                                
Sydney NSW 2000                                                            
     Australia                                                                  
Date       :   17 July 2003                                                     
Contact    :   Elizabeth Hobley, Deputy Secretary, BHP Billiton Plc             
Direct Tel : + 44 (0)20 7802 4054                                               
Notification of Major Interests in Shares                                       
BHP Billiton Plc was notified yesterday in a letter from Barclays PLC, dated 11 
July 2003, that Barclays PLC no longer has a notifiable interest in the share   
capital of BHP Billiton Plc.                                                    
Letter to BHP Billiton Plc:                                                     
"Companies Act 1985 ("The Act") - Part VI                                       
I refer to our previous correspondence and now inform you that as at 10 July    
2003 Barclays PLC no longer has a notifiable interest in the capital of your    
Company."                                                                       
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077      BHP Billiton Plc                   
Registered in Australia                      Registration number 3196209        
Registered in England and Wales              
Registered Office:                           Registered                         
600 Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria 3000    Office: Neathouse Place, London    
                                             SW1V 1BH United KingdomTelephone   
+61 3 9609 3333                    Telephone +44 20 7802 4000                   
Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015                    Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111         
The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia