RNS Number:9359I
Laird Group PLC
19 March 2003

                  DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

      THE LAIRD GROUP PLC

2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

     FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC

3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of 
     holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a 
     non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
     holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18



4)   Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the 
     number of shares held by each of them.

     SEE BELOW

5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.



6)   ( N/A %) of issued Class

7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed



8)   ( N/A %) of issued Class

9)   Class of security

     ORDINARY

10)  Date of transaction

      18/3/03

11)  Date company informed

     19/3/03

12)  Total holding following this notification

      8,521,163
               
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

      5.96%

14)  Any additional information



15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

     MISS A. M. DOWNIE
     020 7468 4040 

16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification ...19/3/03.....


Letter to Laird Group Plc

S.198 Companies Act - Disclosure of Share Interests

We are acting on behalf of Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates, which
includes  Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC and Templeton Worldwide, Inc. and its
affiliates. Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates perform investment
management and advisory services for clients on a global basis.


We wish to advise you of interests in the share capital of your Company under
management of Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates on behalf of clients,
as detailed in the attached schedule.


                                   LAIRD GROUP PLC
                                 Outstanding Shares             142,881,694

Registered Holder                   No. of Shares                 % of Class

Chase Nominees Ltd                  6,849,121                     4.7936%
State Street Nominees Limited         174,976                     0.1225%
Bank of New York Nominees              56,510                     0.0396%
Royal Trust Corp of Canada            815,516                     0.5708%
Deutsche Bank AG                       24,250                     0.0170%
Clydesdale Bank PLC                   600,790                     0.4205%

TOTAL                               8,521,163                     5.9638%



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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