FORM 38.5 (SUMMARY)

Lodge with Company Announcements Office and the Panel. Use a separate form for each class of 

securities in which dealings have been made.

CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPLE TRADER:

DISCLOSURE UNDER RULE 38.5 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS

Name of EPT

Merrill Lynch International

Date of disclosure 

07 October 2008

Date of dealing

02 October 2008

Telephone number 

020 7996 2121

Please see attached disclosure of dealings under Rule 38.5 in the securities of the following companies:

02 October 2008

Taylor Nelson Sofres Plc - Common

BHP Billiton Plc - Common

Axon Group Plc - Common

Alliance & Leicester Plc - Common

FORM 38.5

DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS

(Rule 38.5 of The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)

1. KEY INFORMATION

Name of exempt principal trader

Merrill Lynch International

Company dealt in

Alliance & Leicester Plc

Class of relevant security to which the 

Common

dealings being disclosed relate

Date of dealing

02/10/2008

2. DEALINGS

(a) Purchases and sales

Total number of securities 

Highest price paid

Lowest price paid

purchased

199,837

GBP 2.97

GBP 2.81

Total number of securities sold

Highest price received

Lowest price received

188,842

GBP 2.97

GBP 2.89

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product name, 

Short/Long

Number of securities

Price per unit 

eg. CFD

Long Swap

LONG

37,731

GBP 2.91

Long Swap

LONG

26,403

GBP 2.92

Product name, 

Short/Long

Number of securities

Price per unit 

eg. CFD

Short Swap

SHORT

8,465

GBP 2.92

Short Swap

SHORT

17,938

GBP 2.92

Short Swap

SHORT

37,731

GBP 2.92

(c)     Options transactions in respect of existing securities

Product name

Writing, 

Number of 

Exercise 

Type, e.g. 

Expiry 

Option 

selling, 

securities under

price 

American, 

date

money

eg call option

purchasing, 

option

European etc 

paid/received 

varying etc.

per unit 

(ii) Exercising

Product name

Number of securities under 

Exercise price 

eg call option

option

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. 

NONE

Date of disclosure

07/10/2008

Contact name

Louise Howard

Telephone number

+44 20 7996 2121

Name of offeree/offeror with whom connected

Banco Santander SA.

Nature of connection #

Advisor

FORM 38.5

DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS

(Rule 38.5 of The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)

1. KEY INFORMATION

Name of exempt principal trader

Merrill Lynch International

Company dealt in

BHP Billiton Plc

Class of relevant security to which the 

Common

dealings being disclosed relate

Date of dealing

02/10/2008

2. DEALINGS

(a) Purchases and sales

Total number of securities 

Highest price paid

Lowest price paid

purchased

4,464,473

GBP 12.66

GBP 11.12

Total number of securities sold

Highest price received

Lowest price received

3,732,577

GBP 12.69

GBP 11.12

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product name, 

Short/Long

Number of securities

Price per unit 

eg. CFD

Long Swap

LONG

262,804

GBP 11.93

Long Swap

LONG

1,840

GBP 11.67

Long Swap

LONG

2,000

GBP 11.71

Long Swap

LONG

3,195

GBP 11.93

Long Swap

LONG

3,530

GBP 12.11

Long Swap

LONG

3,938

GBP 11.99

Long Swap

LONG

4,000

GBP 11.53

Long Swap

LONG

6,500

GBP 11.63

Long Swap

LONG

6,825

GBP 11.60

Long Swap

LONG

7,311

GBP 12.11

Long Swap

LONG

9,562

GBP 11.60

Long Swap

LONG

14,000

GBP 11.23

Long Swap

LONG

18,180

GBP 11.67

Long Swap

LONG

19

GBP 12.11

Long Swap

LONG

47,556

GBP 11.60

Long Swap

LONG

492,381

GBP 12.04

Long Swap

LONG

7,975,000

GBP 11.21

Long Swap

LONG

21,524

GBP 11.93

Product name, 

Short/Long

Number of securities

Price per unit 

eg. CFD

Short Swap

SHORT

5

GBP 11.67

Short Swap

SHORT

492,381

GBP 0.00

Short Swap

SHORT

307,016

GBP 11.90

Short Swap

SHORT

25,000

GBP 11.35

Short Swap

SHORT

14,000

GBP 12.41

Short Swap

SHORT

7,468

GBP 12.06

Short Swap

SHORT

7,311

GBP 12.07

Short Swap

SHORT

6,825

GBP 11.90

Short Swap

SHORT

6,500

GBP 11.61

Short Swap

SHORT

4,000

GBP 11.53

Short Swap

SHORT

3,195

GBP 11.88

Short Swap

SHORT

2,000

GBP 11.70

(c)     Options transactions in respect of existing securities

Product name

Writing, 

Number of 

Exercise 

Type, e.g. 

Expiry 

Option 

selling, 

securities under

price 

American, 

date

money

eg call option

purchasing, 

option

European etc 

paid/received 

varying etc.

per unit 

(ii) Exercising

Product name

Number of securities under 

Exercise price 

eg call option

option

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. 

NONE

Date of disclosure

07/10/2008

Contact name

Louise Howard

Telephone number

+44 20 7996 2121

Name of offeree/offeror with whom connected

BHP Billiton Plc

Nature of connection #

Advisor

FORM 38.5(a)

DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS WITH 

RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN CLIENT-SERVICING 

CAPACITY

(Rule 38.5(a) of The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)

1. KEY INFORMATION

Name of exempt principal trader

Merrill Lynch International

Company dealt in

Taylor Nelson Sofres Plc

Class of relevant security to which the 

Common

dealings being disclosed relate

Date of dealing

02/10/2008

2. DEALINGS

(a) Purchases and sales

Total number of securities 

Highest price paid

Lowest price paid

purchased

441,629

GBP 2.52

GBP 2.47

Total number of securities sold

Highest price received

Lowest price received

223,802

GBP 2.51

GBP 2.48

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product name, 

Short/Long

Number of securities

Price per unit 

eg. CFD

(c)     Options transactions in respect of existing securities

Product name

Writing, 

Number of 

Exercise 

Type, e.g. 

Expiry 

Option money

selling, 

securities under

price 

American, 

date

eg call option

purchasing, 

option

European etc 

paid/received 

varying etc.

per unit 

(ii) Exercising

Product name

Number of securities under 

Exercise price 

eg call option

option

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. 

NONE

Date of disclosure

07/10/2008

Contact name

Louise Howard

Telephone number

+44 20 7996 2121

Name of offeree/offeror with whom connected

WPP Group Plc

Nature of connection #

Advisor

FORM 38.5

DEALINGS BY CONNECTED EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADERS

(Rule 38.5 of The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)

1. KEY INFORMATION

Name of exempt principal trader

Merrill Lynch International

Company dealt in

Axon Group Plc

Class of relevant security to which the 

Common

dealings being disclosed relate

Date of dealing

02/10/2008

2. DEALINGS

(a) Purchases and sales

Total number of securities 

Highest price paid

Lowest price paid

purchased

95,877

GBP 6.71

GBP 6.65

Total number of securities sold

Highest price received

Lowest price received

7,400

GBP 6.78

GBP 6.71

(b) Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product name, 

Short/Long