SAR - Bookham Technology

Aviva PLC
22 October 2003

                                                                      FORM SAR 5

Date of Disclosure:           22 October 2003

Lodge with a RIS or Newstrack if appropriate and the Takeover Panel. A copy must 
also be sent to the company the shares of which are acquired.

DISCLOSURE UNDER NOTE 3 OF RULE 5 OF THE RULES GOVERNING
SUBSTANTIAL ACQUISITIONS OF SHARES ('SARs')

Date of sale:                 21/10/2003

Sale of (name of company):    BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC

(1)     Class of voting shares (e.g. ordinary shares)    ORD GBP0.00333
        Number of shares/rights over shares sold  1,232,368   Shares  0   Rights
        
        If rights over shares sold, as opposed to the shares themselves, specify 
        nature of rights

(2)     Resultant total holding of voting shares (and % of
        total voting shares in issue)        31,443,066                14.551%

(3)     Party making disclosure:           Aviva plc

(4)     (a)    Name of person selling shares or rights over     
               Aviva plc and its Subsidiaries
        
        (b)    Names of other persons acting by agreement or
               understanding (see SAR 5)

Signed, for and on behalf of the part named in (3) above:

(Also print name of signatory):       Neil Whittaker

Telephone and extension number:       01603 684420

For full details of SARs disclosure requirements, see Rules 3 and 5 of the SARs. 
If in doubt, contact the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, Monitoring Section, 
Tel. No: 020 7638 0129. Email: [e-mail]


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