Director Shareholding

Barclays PLC
20 July 2004


                                                                    20 July 2004


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

The independent trustee of the Barclays Group (ESAS) Employees' Benefit Trust
(the 'ESAS trust') notified the Company on 19 July 2004 that it had on 13 July
2004 exercised its discretion and released 26,337 ordinary shares in Barclays
PLC to participants in the Executive Share Award Scheme ('ESAS'). The
participants to whom the shares were released are not directors of Barclays PLC.

Following this transaction, the trustees of all the Barclays Group employees'
benefit trusts hold a total of 110,085,003 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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