Holding(s) in Company

TR-1(i): NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

(1). Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to
which voting rights are attached (ii):

            Merrill Lynch British Smaller Companies Trust plc

(2). Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: ( X )

An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the
acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: ( )

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: ( )

Other (please specify) : requirement to disclose (  )

(3). Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation (iii):

            Royal London Asset Management

(4). Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) (iv):

            N/A

(5). Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or
reached if different) (v):

            3 July 2007

(6). Date on which issuer notified:

            5 July 2007

(7). Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

            3%

(8). Notified details:


A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares (if possible using the ISIN code):  Ord 25p/GB0006436108 -
Please see below, there has been no trigger transaction.

Situation previous to the triggering transaction(vi):
     Number of Shares:  4,571,072
     Number of Voting rights(viii):  9.1432%

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction(vii):
     Number of shares:
          DIRECT:  4,321,072
     Number of voting rights (ix):
          Direct (x):  4,321,072
          Indirect (xi):  n/a

% of voting rights:
     Direct:  8.6432%
     Indirect:  n/a


B. Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction (xii): N/A

Type of financial instrument:

Expiration date (xiii): 

Exercise/Conversion Period/Date (xiv): 

Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/
converted:

% of voting rights:

Total (A + B):

Number of voting rights:  4,321,072

% of voting rights:  8.6432%


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

            N/A

Proxy Voting:

(10). Name of the proxy holder:

            N/A

(11). Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

            N/A

(12). Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

            N/A

(13). Additional information:

            N/A

(14). Contact name:

            Caroline Driscoll
            For BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
            Secretary

(15). Contact telephone number:

            020 7743 2427


5 July 2007