Holding in Company

Weir Group PLC
15 May 2001

To: Company Announcements Office

We confirm having today received notification from Franklin Resources Inc and
its affiliates in terms of the Companies Act 1985 that the companies as set out
in the schedule below have a notifiable interest in the issued share capital of
the company.

From: The Weir Group PLC


                              SCHEDULE
                           WEIR GROUP plc

                              Outstanding Shares   200,886,000

Registered Holder               No. of Shares     % of Class

Chase Nominees Ltd               3,859,478           1.9212%
Bankers Trust Company              123,040           0.0612%
Citibank Nominees Ltd.           1,019,400           0.5075%
Bank of New York Nominees           63,600           0.0317%
HSBC                               218,000           0.1085%
Clydesdale Bank plc              3,148,500           1.5673%
Northern Trust Company             332,190           0.1654%
State Street Nominees Limited    1,116,400           0.5557%

TOTAL                            9,880,608           4.9185%