Holding(s) in Company

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

1.Identity of the issuer or the           Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc      
underlying issuer of existing shares to                                       
which voting rights are attached:                                                
                                                                                 
2. Reason for the notification:                                                  
                                                                                 
An acquisition or disposal of voting      N/A                                    
rights                                                                           
                                                                                 
An acquisition or disposal of financial   N/A                                    
instruments which may result in the                                              
acquisition of shares already issued to                                          
which voting rights are attached                                                 
                                                                                 
An event changing the breakdown of voting N/A                                    
rights                                                                           
                                                                                 
Other (please specify):                   Company requested updated disclosure   
                                          form  original disclosure of 26 January
                                          2009 due to share buybacks by the      
                                          Company since that date.               
                                                                                 
3. Full name of person(s) subject to the  Legal & General Group Plc (L&G)        
notification obligation                                                          
                                                                                 
4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if        N/A                                    
different from 3.):                                                              
                                                                                 
5. Date of the transaction (and date on   26 January 2009                        
which the threshold is crossed or reached                                        
if different):                                                                   
                                                                                 
6. Date on which issuer notified:         20 January 2012                        
                                                                                 
7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or    Below 4%                               
reached:                                                                         
                                                                                 
8. Notified details:                                                             
                                                                                 

 

A: Voting rights attached to shares                                              
                                                                                 
Class/type  Situation previous to    Resulting situation after the triggering    
of shares   the Triggering           transaction                                 
            transaction                                                          
if possible                                                                      
using the   Number of Number of      Number of Number of voting     % of voting    
ISIN CODE   Shares    Voting Rights  Shares    rights               rights         
                                                                                 
                                     Direct    Direct   Indirect    Direct Indirect
                                                                                 
Ordinary 1p 4,037,372 4,037,372      2,985,283 2,985,283            3.10%          
Shares                                                                           
                                                                                 
GB000006655                                                                      
                                                                                 


 

B: Financial Instruments                                                         
                                                                                 
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction                             
                                                                                 
Type of      Expiration Exercise/     Number of voting rights that may be % of   
financial    date       Conversion    acquired if the instrument is       voting 
instrument              Period/ Date  exercised/ converted.               rights 
                                                                                 
N/A          N/A        N/A           N/A                                 N/A    
                                                                                 
Total (A+B)                                                                      
                                                                                 
Number of voting rights        % of voting rights                                
                                                                                 
2,985,283                      3.10%                                             
                                                                                 

 

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the   
financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable                        
                                                                                 

 

Legal & General Group Plc (Direct and Indirect) (Group)                         
                                                                                
Legal & General Investment Management (Holdings) Limited (LGIMH)                
(Direct and Indirect)                                                           
                                                                                
Legal & General Investment Management Limited (Indirect) (LGIM)                 
                                                                                
Legal & General Group Plc (Direct) (L&G) (2,985,283- 3.10% = LGAS, LGPL & PMC)  
                                                                                
Legal & General Investment Management (Holdings)        Legal & General         
Limited (Direct) (LGIMHD)                               Insurance Holdings      
                                                        Limited (Direct) (LGIH) 
                                                                                
Legal & General Assurance (Pensions Management)         Legal & General         
Limited  (PMC)                                          Assurance Society       
                                                        Limited  (LGAS & LGPL)  
                                                                                
                                                        Legal & General Pensions
                                                        Limited (Direct)  (LGPL)
                                                                                

Proxy Voting:                                                                    
                                                                              
10. Name of the proxy holder:                N/A                                 
                                                                                 
11. Number of voting rights proxy holder     N/A                                 
will cease to hold:                                                              
                                                                                 
12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to N/A                                 
hold voting rights:                                                              
                                                                                 
                                                                                
13. Additional information:                  Notification using total voting     
                                             rights of 96,138,792 Ordianry Shares                
                                                                                 
14. Contact name:                            David Holland, Aberforth Partners LLP   
                                             Secretaries                    
                                                                                 
15. Contact telephone number                 0131-220-0733