Director Shareholding

Barclays PLC
18 May 2004


                                                                     18 May 2004



         Notification of directors' interests: Companies Act 1985 s.329

1. The independent trustee of the Barclays Group (ESAS) Employees' Benefit
   Trust, (the 'ESAS trust') notified the Company on 17 May 2004 that it had on 
   13 May 2004 exercised its discretion and purchased a total of 678,452 
   ordinary shares in Barclays PLC at a price of £5.00 per share. None of the 
   shares purchased were in respect of an award made to a director of Barclays 
   PLC.

2. The independent trustee of the Barclays Group (ESAS) Employees' Benefit
   Trust, (the 'ESAS trust') notified the Company on 17 May 2004 that it had on 
   11 May 2004 and 12 May 2004 exercised its discretion and released a total of 
   13,675 ordinary shares in Barclays PLC at prices of £4.97 and £4.96 per 
   share, respectively. None of the shares released were in respect of an award 
   made to a director of Barclays PLC.

3. The independent trustee of the Barclays Group (ESAS) Supplementary
   Trust (the 'ESAS Supplementary trust') notified the Company on 17 May 2004 
   that it had on 13 May 2004 purchased a total of 16,615 shares in Barclays PLC 
   at a price of £5.00 per share. None of the shares purchased were in respect
   of an award made to a director of Barclays PLC.

Following these transactions, the trustees of all the Barclays Group employees'
benefit trusts hold a total of 107,776,981 ordinary shares in Barclays PLC. Sir
Peter Middleton, Chairman, and the executive directors of Barclays PLC are
amongst the potential beneficiaries under these trusts and are therefore
regarded for Companies Act purposes as being interested in the Barclays PLC
ordinary shares held in them.





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