Holding in Company

Allen PLC
9 May 2001


Letter to: Allen Plc

Companies Act 1985 (as amended):
Disclosure of Interests in Shares

In accordance with Part VI of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended) (the 'Act'),
we write to inform you that Prudential plc and certain of its subsidiary
companies have a notifiable interest in the issued share capital of your company
as detailed in the schedule below.

For the purposes of S210 of the Act, the address for those companies identified
in the schedule below is Laurence Pountney Hill London EC4R 0HH.

Letter from: M&G Investment Management Limited



                Notifiable Position Report for ALLEN ORD GBP0.05
                             as at 08 May 2001

Percentage holdings are calculated using an issued share capital of 41,535,835
ORD GBP0.05 shares

                Registered Holder               Holding      %
Prudential plc                                5,608,053    13.50  Total 
                                                                  Notifiable
                                                                  Interest
             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD MGG       2,663,053
             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD RIT         627,143
             PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PAC AC  2,317,857


M&G Group Limited                             5,608,053    13.50

             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD MGG       2,663,053
             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD RIT         627,143
             PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PAC AC  2,317,857                         
                               
                   
M&G Investment Management Limited             5,608,053    13.50

             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD MGG       2,663,053
             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD RIT         627,143
             PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PAC AC  2,317,857                         


M&G Limited                                   5,608,053    13.50

             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD MGG       2,663,053
             CLYDESDALE BK NOMS LTD RIT         627,143
             PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PAC AC  2,317,857

The Prudential Assurance Company Limited      2,317,857     5.58
   
          PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PAC AC     2,317,857