LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the 'Code')

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser:

Barclays PLC.

(b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):

The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.

(c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree

WS Atkins Plc

(d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:
(e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:

For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure

(f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?

If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state 'N/A'

YES / NO / N/A

If YES, specify which:

2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security: ORD
Interests Short Positions
Number (%) Number (%)
(1) Relevant securities owned
and/or controlled: 857,095 0.86% 419,976 0.42%
(2) Cash-settled derivatives:
281,016 0.28% 827,205 0.83%
(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options)
and agreements to purchase/sell: 0 0.00% 0 0.00%
(4)
TOTAL: 1,138,111 1.14% 1,247,181 1.25%

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant Purchase/sale Number of Price per unit
security securities
5p ORD Purchase 21 20.9850 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 23 20.9500 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 26 21.0400 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 40 21.0450 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 43 21.0427 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 44 21.0550 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 60 21.0900 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 60 21.2098 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 71 21.0200 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 82 20.9400 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 108 21.2200 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 108 21.2040 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 123 20.9790 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 132 21.0050 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 133 21.1931 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 153 20.9900 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 153 20.9450 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 158 20.9100 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 165 20.9800 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 197 20.9950 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 202 21.2000 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 290 21.0100 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 301 21.0150 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 376 21.2100 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 402 20.9700 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 794 21.2080 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 870 20.9234 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 1,904 20.9774 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 2,995 21.0006 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 4,954 21.0000 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 6,150 21.0129 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 9,245 21.0211 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 14,902 20.9898 GBP
5p ORD Purchase 23,170 21.0127 GBP
5p ORD Sale 21 20.9850 GBP
5p ORD Sale 23 20.9500 GBP
5p ORD Sale 26 21.0400 GBP
5p ORD Sale 40 21.0450 GBP
5p ORD Sale 44 21.0550 GBP
5p ORD Sale 60 21.0900 GBP
5p ORD Sale 82 20.9400 GBP
5p ORD Sale 106 20.9995 GBP
5p ORD Sale 108 21.2200 GBP
5p ORD Sale 108 21.2040 GBP
5p ORD Sale 123 20.9790 GBP
5p ORD Sale 132 21.0050 GBP
5p ORD Sale 153 20.9450 GBP
5p ORD Sale 153 20.9900 GBP
5p ORD Sale 158 20.9100 GBP
5p ORD Sale 165 20.9800 GBP
5p ORD Sale 197 20.9950 GBP
5p ORD Sale 290 21.0100 GBP
5p ORD Sale 301 21.0150 GBP
5p ORD Sale 322 21.2000 GBP
5p ORD Sale 359 21.0200 GBP
5p ORD Sale 376 21.2100 GBP
5p ORD Sale 402 20.9700 GBP
5p ORD Sale 782 21.0000 GBP
5p ORD Sale 1,242 21.0504 GBP
5p ORD Sale 1,497 21.0848 GBP
5p ORD Sale 1,530 21.0074 GBP
5p ORD Sale 2,431 21.0265 GBP
5p ORD Sale 2,905 21.0009 GBP
5p ORD Sale 19,151 20.9926 GBP

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of Product Nature of dealing Number of Price per
relevant description reference unit
security securities
5p ORD SWAP Long 327 21.0497 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Long 619 20.9950 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Long 671 21.2053 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Long 1,327 21.0014 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Short 43 21.0427 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 60 21.2098 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 90 21.0218 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 133 21.1931 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 448 21.0328 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Short 844 21.0335 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 870 20.9234 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Short 921 20.9971 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Short 3,475 21.0450 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 4,228 20.9883 GBP
5p ORD CFD Short 6,150 21.0129 GBP
5p ORD SWAP Short 22,499 21.0158 GBP

(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc.

Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option

Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion

Details Price per unit (if applicable)

4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state 'none'

None

(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state 'none'

None

(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?

NO

Date of disclosure:

26 April 2017

Contact name:

Jay Supaya

Telephone number:

0207 773 0635

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at monitoring@disclosure.org.uk. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

View source version on businesswire.com:http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005649/en/

BARCLAYS PLC

Source: BARCLAYS PLC

Barclays plc published this content on 26 April 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 26 April 2017 10:24:15 UTC.

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