Birse Group PLC - Holding by Nat.Westminster Bk

RNS No 8508j
BIRSE GROUP PLC
30th June 1998


To:    The Company Secretary
       Birse Group plc

SECTION 198 COMPANIES ACT 1985

We, National Westminster Bank plc, for ourselves and on behalf of:

          NatWest Asset Management Holdings Ltd
          Asset Management Holdings Plc
          Gartmore Investment Management plc
and       Gartmore Investment Ltd

write to advise you pursuant to Section 198 of the Companies Act 1985 (the
Act) that:

1.  This notification relates to the ordinary 10p share capital of Birse Group
    plc.

2.  The number of shares in which we know we and the aforementioned companies
    were interested, for the purposes of sections 208 and 209 of the Act,
    immediately after the time when the obligation arose, are shown on the 
    schedule below.

3.  The identities of the registered holders of these shares and the number of
    shares held by each holder, so far as is known to us at the date of this
    notification, are shown in the schedule below.

4.  The percentages quoted on the schedule below are based on your issued 
    ordinary share capital of 191,773,294, as advised to us by Extel.

5.  None of the shares on the schedule below relates to interests as mentioned
    in Section 208(5) of the Act.

From: 
J C Melson
Head of Share Disclosure
NatWest Group 


SCHEDULE OF REGISTERED HOLDERS FOR NOTIFICATION S198-L01/JCM/98521

REGISTERED HOLDER                                  NUMBER OF SHARES  PERCENTAGE

BNY GIL Client A/C Nominees Ltd                      6,250,000
Capital Strategy Fund Ltd                            1,000,000
Chase Nominees Ltd                                  11,825,961
GIL Nominees Ltd                                       623,000
Indosuez Euro Small Comp.                              600,000
Midland Bank Trust Co                                5,650,000
Royal Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd        1,600,000

Total interest of Gartmore Investment Ltd           27,548,961        14.36

BNY GIL Client A/C Nominees Ltd                      2,800,000

Total interest of Gartmore Investment Management Plc
                  Asset Management Holdings Plc
                  NatWest Asset Management Holdings Ltd
                  
                                                     30,348,961     15.82

Fielding Nominees Ltd                                    50,000
Finserve Nominees Ltd                                    92,000

Total Interest of National Westminster Bank Plc      30,490,961     15.89

END

HOLAILETDRIVIAT


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