Purchase of Own Securities

British Assets Trust PLC
17 February 2000


The Board of British Assets Trust PLC announces that on 17 February 2000, the
Company purchased for cancellation 2,873,212 warrants at a price of 47.00
pence each.

Following this purchase there are now 13,163,143 warrants outstanding, 17.1
per cent of the original warrant issue.

The Company has now purchased for cancellation a total of 63,636,857 warrants,
representing 82.9 per cent of the original warrant issue.



Gordon J Humphries, Secretary, British Assets Trust plc


Enquiries:  Gordon Humphries,   tel: [phone]