Issued by:
 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

March 1, 2007

 

 

 

BHP BILLITON LIMITED

(ABN 49 004 028 077)

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation)

 

180 LONSDALE STREET, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

3000 AUSTRALIA

(Address of principal executive offices)

  

 

 

BHP BILLITON PLC

(REG. NO. 3196209)

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

ENGLAND AND WALES

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation)

 

NEATHOUSE PLACE, VICTORIA, LONDON,

UNITED KINGDOM

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:  [x] Form 20-F   [  ] Form 40-F
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):  [ ]
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):  [ ]
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:  [ ] Yes    [x] No
 
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):    n/a 
 

Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

To:
Company Announcements Office
The London Stock Exchange

Company Announcements Office
The Australian Stock Exchange

cc:
New York Stock Exchange
Swiss Stock Exchange
JSE Limited
Deutsche Bank
UBS Zurich

Date: 1 March 2007

For Release: Immediately

Contact: Jamin Lawton + 44 (0)20 7802 4108

 

Notification of Major Interests in Shares

 

The following notification was received on 28 February 2007 by BHP Billiton Plc from Legal & General Group Plc relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc

 

Financial Services Authority

TR-1i: notification of major interests in shares

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attachedii:

BHP Billiton Plc

2. Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):

n/a see additional information

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights

An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights

3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligationiii:

Legal & General Group Plc (L&G)

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.)iv:

n/a

5. Date of the transaction and date on which the threshold is crossed or reachedv:

n/a

6. Date on which issuer notified:

28/02/07

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

Above 3% (L&G)

8. Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares

if possible using the ISIN CODE

Situation previous to the Triggering transaction vi

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction vii

Number of Shares

Number of Voting Rights viii

Number of shares

Number of voting rights ix

% of voting rights

Direct

Direct x

Indirect xi

Direct

Indirect

Ord USD

0.50

75,230,880 3.04%

(under S-198 on 09/06/2002)

83,519,892

83,519,892

 

 

3.55

B: Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction xii

Type of financial instrument

Expiration date xiii

Exercise/ Conversion Period/ Date xiv

Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/ converted.

% of voting rights

Total (A+B)

Number of voting rights

% of voting rights

83,519,892

3.55

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable xv:

Legal & General Group Plc (Direct and Indirect) (Group)

Legal & General Investment Management (Holdings) Limited (LGIMH) (Direct and Indirect)

Legal & General Investment Management Limited (Indirect) (LGIM)

Legal & General Group Plc (Direct) (L&G) (83,519,892 - 3.55% = LGAS, LGPL & PMC)

Legal & General Investment Management (Holdings) Limited (Direct)                     Legal & General Insurance Holdings Limited (Direct) (LGAS & LGPL)

Legal & General Assurance (Pensions Management) Limited (PMC)                     Legal & General Assurance Society Limited (LGAS & LGPL)

                                                                                                                       Legal & General Pensions Limited (Direct) (LGPL)

 

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of the proxy holder:

N/A

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

N/A

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

N/A

13. Additional information:

Notification using shares in issue figure of 2,348,542,002

First notification under DTR Sourcebook

14. Contact name:

Helen Lewis

15. Contact telephone number:

020 7528 6742

 

BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Telephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015

BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111

                                                                  The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia

                                                                          
SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
    BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc
     
Date: 1 March 2007 By:

Karen Wood
  Name:  Karen Wood
  Title: Group Company Secretary