Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

_________________________________________________________________________________

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_______________

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Date of 23 July 2003

BHP Billiton Plc

Registration Number 3196209

Neathouse Place

London SW1V 1BH

United Kingdom

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F X   Form 40-F  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Yes     No X

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):


Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

To: Company Announcements Office
The London Stock Exchange
Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1HP
United Kingdom

Company Announcements Office
The Australian Stock Exchange
4th Floor, 20 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

cc: New York Stock Exchange
Swiss Stock Exchange
New Zealand Stock Exchange
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Euronext Paris
Deutsche Bank

 

Date: 23 July 2003

For Release: Immediately

Contact: Elizabeth Hobley, Deputy Secretary, BHP Billiton Plc

Direct Tel: + 44 (0)20 7802 4054

Notification of Major Interests in Shares

BHP Billiton Plc received the following notification yesterday in a letter from Barclays PLC dated 21 July 2003.

Letter to BHP Billiton Plc:

"Companies Act 1985 ("The Act") - Part VI

I hereby inform you that as at 16 July 2003 Barclays PLC, through the legal entities listed on the attached schedule, has a notifiable interest in the capital of your Company of 3.12 %.

Details of the interest, together with a breakdown between registered holders (as required by Section 202(3) of the Act), are enclosed."

 

LEGAL ENTITY REPORT

BHP BILLITON PLC

SEDOL : 0056650

As at 16 July 2003 Barclays PLC, through the legal entities listed below, had a notifiable interest in 76,992,116 ORD USD0.50 representing 3.12% of the issued share capital of 2,468,147,002 units

Legal Entity

Holding

Percentage Held

Barclays Private Bank Ltd

2,010

0.0001

Barclays Global Investors, N.A.

28,587,357

1.1583

Barclays Global Investors Japan Trust &

3,021,105

0.1224

Barclays Global Investors Japan

54,021

0.0022

Barclays Nikko Global Investors Ltd

885,084

0.0359

Barclays Global Investors Australia Ltd

707,150

0.0287

Barclays Global Fund Advisors

687,154

0.0278

Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd

4,529

0.0002

Barclays Life Assurance Co Ltd

4,934,462

0.1999

Barclays Global Investors Ltd

37,350,579

1.5133

Barclays Capital Securities Ltd

758,665

0.0307

Group Holding

76,992,116

3.1195

 

 

REGISTERED HOLDERS REPORT

BHP BILLITON PLC

SEDOL: 0056650

As at 16 July 2003 Barclays PLC, through the registered holders listed below, had a notifiable interest in 76,992,116 ORD USD0.50 representing 3.12% of the issued share capital of 2,468,147,002 units.

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

ALMIXFTTL-18408-CHASE MANHATTA

ALMIXFTT

357,250

ASUKEXTTL-20947-CHASE MANHATTA

ASUKEXTT

13,875,076

Bank of Ireland

BNX009IE

676,471

BARCLAYS CAPITAL NOMINEES LIMI

758,665

Barclays Global Investors Japa

BTS026IE

28,568

Barclays Trust Co & Others

4,529

BLEEQTTTL-17011-CHASE MANHATTA

BLEEQTTT

38,896

BLENTFUKQ-16344-CHASE MANHATTA

BLENTFUK

119,046

BLENTPUKQ-16345-CHASE MANHATTA

BLENTPUK

446,027

BLEQFDUKQ-16331-CHASE MANHATTA

BLEQFDUK

914,687

BLEQPTUEA-16341-CHASE MANHATTA

BLEQPTUE

715,141

BLEQPTUKQ-16341-CHASE MANHATTA

BLEQPTUK

2,257,751

BLINTNUKQ-Z1AJ-dummy

BLINTNUK

162,019

BLINTPUKQ-16342-CHASE MANHATTA

BLINTPUK

280,895

BLUKINTTL-16400-CHASE MANHATTA

BLUKINTT

21,902,527

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

BOSTON SAFE DEPOSIT AND TRUST

591668

558,865

CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

500227

11,577,970

CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

502872

4,325,757

CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

508068

1,272,292

CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

527191

3,836,034

CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

536747

813,147

CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

552942

826,068

Chase Manhattan Bank

585439

35,253

CHATRKTTL-16376-CHASE MANHATTA

CHATRKTT

1,215,726

CITIBANK, N.A. (United States)

597367

253,156

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

428169

237,458

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

519891

10,837

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

519909

44,433

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

519917

7,452

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

519925

6,247

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

555879

46,962

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

573039

268,718

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

583293

1,217,513

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

588888

24,512

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

590421

64,616

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

595966

595,742

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

598856

33,874

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

911140

65,047

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

540186

257,109

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

555465

450,041

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

599123

71,289

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTC034IE

31,939

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTC045IE

280,083

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTGF01IE

124,526

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTGF04IE

331,922

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTGF05IE

192,025

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTGF07IE

55,587

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTK001IE

296,122

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS004IE

267,478

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS005IE

45,284

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS011IE

103,945

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS015IE

39,156

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS018IE

7,222

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS019IE

12,362

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS024IE

27,268

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS028IE

1,071,025

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS031IE

8,538

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS033IE

23,872

JPMorgan Chase Bank

BTS036IE

74,183

Mitsubishi Trust International

BNN018IE

12,499

Mitsubishi Trust International

BNN024IE

9,900

Mitsubishi Trust International

BNN033IE

14,775

Mitsubishi Trust International

BNN046IE

35,927

NORTHERN TRUST BANK - BGI SEPA

581610

234,815

NORTHERN TRUST BANK - BGI SEPA

584069

138,785

State Street

BNN005IE

1,737

State Street

BNN032IE

26,811

State Street

BNX012IE

45,988

State Street

BNX019IE

54,021

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

State Street

BNX021IE

1,577

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST - US

713101

2,498,180

Sumitomo TB

BNN029IE

16,143

Sumitomo TB

BNN031IE

9,917

Sumitomo TB

BNN036IE

11,531

Sumitomo TB

BN052IE

21,808

UBS Limited

583996

209,489

ZEBAN NOMINEES LIMITED

2,010

Total

76,992,116

 

BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: 600 Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Telephone +61 3 9609 3333 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015

BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111

The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

BHP BILLITON Plc
/s/ KAREN WOOD
_____________________

Karen Wood
Title: Company Secretary
Date: 23 July 2003