Directors' Dealings

REED INTERNATIONAL PLC
3 August 1999

Letter to:  Company Announcements Office

We have today received notification that an option over Reed International
ordinary shares has been exercised by a director of the Company, under the Reed
Elsevier plc Inland Revenue approved all employee 'Save-As-You-Earn' Share
Option Scheme, following the option reaching its 5-year maturity:-

Details of exercise:

Date of    Date of     Director         No. of Shares over      Option price
Grant      exercise                     which an option         payable
                                        has been exercised      per share
 
25/5/94    2/8/99      N J Stapleton    2,102                   328.2p

All the shares acquired following the exercise were retained by Mr Stapleton.
The total number of ordinary shares now held by Mr Stapleton in the Company is
190,788.

Letter from:  Reed International PLC