Directors' Interests

Barclays PLC
17 May 2001



                                                                   17 May 2001

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


1)         The independent trustee of the Barclays Group (PSP & ESOS) Trust
(the 'PSP & ESOS trust') notified the Company on 16 May 2001 that it had on 16
May 2001 subscribed for a total of 4,821 Barclays PLC ordinary shares at a
price of 2196p per share.



The trustee of the PSP & ESOS trust also notified the Company on 16 May 2001
that it had transferred 4,821 ordinary shares in Barclays PLC on 16 May 2001
to participants in the Woolwich plc 1998 Executive Share Option Plan ('ESOP')
who had elected to exchange their options granted under the ESOP for options
over Barclays PLC ordinary shares following the acquisition of Woolwich plc by
Barclays PLC.  The shares were transferred on the exercise of these options
over Barclays PLC ordinary shares by the participants.



None of these shares were transferred to a director of Barclays PLC.



2)         Barclays PLC made an announcement on 27 March 2001 regarding
certain transactions in the Barclays Group (ESAS) Employees' Benefit Trust
(the 'ESAS Trust') following receipt of a notification from the independent
trustee.  Barclays PLC received on 17 May 2001 a further notification
identifying an error in the earlier notification.



On 23 March 2001 the Independent trustee of the ESAS trust exercised its
discretion and released 874,684 ordinary shares in Barclays PLC to
participants in the Executive Share Award Scheme ('ESAS'), not 875,140
ordinary shares as previously advised.



The ESAS trust is a discretionary trust for the benefit of employees and
former employees (and their families) of Barclays Bank PLC and its
subsidiaries.



             Following these transactions and the amendment, the trustees of
all the Barclays Group employees' benefit trusts hold a total of 9,519,154
ordinary shares in Barclays PLC.  Sir Peter Middleton, Mr M W Barrett, Sir
Andrew Large, Mr C J Lendrum, Mr J M Stewart and Mr J S Varley, 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.