Holding in Company

Weir Group PLC
8 May 2001


LETTER 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.

                                   SCHEDULE
               
                                WEIR GROUP PLC

                              Outstanding Shares     200,886,000

Registered Holder               No. of Shares          % of Class

Chase Nominees Ltd                 5,698,678             2.8368%
Bankers Trust Company                515,440             0.2566%
Citibank Nominees Ltd              1,019,400             0.5075%
Bank of New York Nominees            267,000             0.1329%
HSBC                                 218,000             0.1085%
Clydesdale Bank plc                3,700,500             1.8421%
Northern Trust Company               737,190             0.3670%
State Street Nominees Limited      1,116,400             0.5557%

     TOTAL                        13,272,608             6.6070%

FROM WEIR GROUP PLC