Purchase of Own Securities

Henderson Smaller Cos Inv Tst PLC
16 January 2003

HENDERSON GLOBAL INVESTORS

THE HENDERSON SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PLC

16 JANUARY 2003



THE HENDERSON SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PLC


Market Purchase by the Company of its own Ordinary Shares

The Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc hereby gives notification
that, pursuant to the authority granted to the Company at the Annual General
Meeting on 27 September 2002 to make market purchases of the Company's own
shares, a market purchase of 120,000 ordinary shares of 25p each of the Company
was made today at a price of 791/2p per share.

Following the purchase and cancellation of the above shares, 118,956,840
ordinary shares of 25p each will remain in issue.


                                -ENDS-

For further information please contact:

Neil Hermon

The Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc

Telephone: [phone]

Stephen Westwood

Head of Investment Trusts

Henderson Global Investors

Telephone: [phone]

Stephen Phillips

Investor Relations Manager

Henderson Global Investors

Telephone: [phone]


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange