SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

DIVISION OF

TRADING AND MARKETS

20549

August 18,2008

Nicholas A. Kronfeld

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Re: Banco Santander, S.A.

File No. TP 08-77

Dear Mr. Kronfeld:

In your letter dated August 18, 2008, as supplemented by conversations with the

staff, you request on behalf ofBanco Santander, S.A., a bank organized under the laws of

the Kingdom of Spain ("Santander"), an exemption from Rules 101 and 102 of

Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (''Exchange Act") in

connection with Santander's acquisition ("Acquisition") ofAlliance & Leicester pIc

("A&L''), a bank organized under the laws ofEngland and Wales.

You seek an exemption to permit Santander' and its affiliates to conduct specified

transactions outside the United States in Santander Shares during the distribution of

Santander Shares to'the shareholders ofA&L.' Specifically, you request that: (i) the

Market Making Subsidiary be permitted to continue to engage in market making

activities as described in your letter; (ii) the Derivatives Market Maker be permitted to

continue to engage in derivatives market-making and hedging activities as described in

your letter; (iii) the Asset Managers be permitted to continue to engage in asset

management activities as described in your letter; (iv) the Insurance Company be

permitted to continue to engage in insurance activities as described in yow letter; and (v)

the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units be permitted to continue to engage in unsolicited

brokerage activities as descnbed in your letter.

You also seek an exemption to permit certain Santander affiliates to conduct

specified transactions in the United States in Santander Shares during the distribution of

Santander Shares to the shareholders ofA&L. Specifically, you request that: (i) the

Puerto Rico Asset Manager be permitted to continue to conduct asset management

activities in Puerto Rico as described in your letter; (ii) Banco Santander International be

permitted to continue to conduct asset planagement activities :fro~ the Continental United .

States for non-U.S. clients as described in your letter; and (iii) the U.S. Brokerage Units

be permitted to continue to engage in unsolicited brokerage activities as described in your

letter. We have attached a copy of your correspondence to avoid reciting the facts set

Nicholas A. Kronfeld

August 18,2008

Page 2 of5

forth therein. Unless otherwise noted, each defined tenn in our response has the same

meaning as defined in your letter.

Response:

. Based on the facts and representations that you have made in your letter, but

without necessarily concurring with your analysis, the Commission hereby grants

Santander an exemption from Rules 101 and 102 ofRegulation M to permit the Market

Making Subsidiary, Derivatives Market Maker, the Asset Managers including the Puerto

Rico Asset Manager and Banco Santander International, the Insurance Company, and the

Brokerage Units including the U.S. Brokerage Units (collectively, the "Companies") to

continue to engage in the transactions described in your letter. In particular, in your

correspondence you make the following key representations:

•

The average daily trading volume ("ADTV") ofSantander Shares in Spain during

the six months that ended on June 30, 2008 was 94.1 million shares valued at

approximately€1.189 billion ($1.872 billion);

•

Santander's market capitalization as of June 30, 2008 was approximately €72.99

billion ($106.58 billion), making it Spain's second largest company by

capitalization and representing 17.65% ofthe ffiEX 35 index;

•

As of June 30, 2008, over 6 billion shares of Santander Shares were outstan~g

that were held by over 2 million record holders with a public float value in excess

of $1 00 billion;

•

The principal trading market for Santander Shares is on the Spanish Exchanges

through the AQS accounting for approximately 95% ofthe global ADTV value

during the six months that ended on June 30, 2008;

•

The number of Santander Shares to be delivered to A&L shareholders in the

Acquisition will represent approximately 2.2% of the Santander Shares

outstanding upon consummation ofthe Acquisition;

•

Santander maintains and enforces written infonnation barrier policies and

procedures to prevent material non-public infonnation from passing between the

sales/trading areas and other sensitive areas of Santander including the investment

oversight committee;

•

The Market Making Subsidiary conducts its market making activities outside the

United States and, during the six months that ended on June 30, 2008, the market

making activities by the Market Making Subsidiary accounted for approximately

1.853% of the ADTV in Santander Shares on the Spanish Exchanges;

Nicholas A. Kronfeld

August 18, 2008

Page 3 of5

•

The Derivatives Market Maker conducts its derivatives market making and

hedging activities outside the United States and, during the six months that ended

on June 30, 2008, the derivatives market making and hedging activities of the

Derivatives Market Maker accounted for approximately 1.31 % of the ADTV in

Santander Shares on the Spanish Exchanges;

•

All of the Asset Managers except for the Puerto Rico Asset Manager and Banco

Santander International conduct their investment management activities outside

the United States;

•

The Puerto Rico Asset Manager will only engage in nOlll1al course asset

management activities in Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Asset Manager's

volume oftrading in Santander Shares has historically been low;

•

Banco Santander International will only engage in nOlll1al course asset

management activities with non-U.S. clients;

•

The Insurance 'Company sells insurance products and conducts activities in

connection with investment selections made by purchasers of such insurance

products outside the United States;

•

Each ofthe Non-US. Brokerage Units conducts its unsolicited brokerage

activities outside the United States and, during the six months that ended 'on June

30,2008, the unsolicited brokerage activities ofthe Non-US. Brokerage Units

accounted for approximately 10.79% of the ADTV in Santander Shares on the

Spanish Exchanges;

•

Each ofthe US. Brokerage Units have been instructed to not make any

investment recommendations to their customers with respect to Santander Shares

or ADSs during the restricted period and will only engage in nOlll1al caurse

. unsolicited brokerage activities, which represents approximately 0.11 % afthe

worldwide ADTV in Santander Shares during the six months that ended on June

30,2008;

•

The withdrawal of a significant market maker in Santander Shares in the primary

market far those shares for an extended period oftime would have harmful effects

in the home market and, indirectly, in the U.S. market, for Santander Shares,

including a significant imbalance ofbuy and sell orders, which could cause

greater valatility and reduced liquidity;

•

Each ofthe Market Maker Subsidiary, Derivatives Market Maker, the Asset

Managers, the Insurance Company, and the Brokerage Units has confinned that

Nicholas A. Kronfeld

August 18, 2008

Page 4 of5

the activities for which it is requesting relief will be conducted in the ordinary

course of its businesses and in accordance with applicable English, Spanish, and

other non-U.S. laws;

•

In the United States, Santander conducts a securities business through Santander

Securities Corporation, Santander Investment Securities, Banesto Securities, and

ANSI, each a separate subsidiary that is registered with the Commission as a

broker-dealer and is a member ofFINRA, and Santander Investment Securities

and ANSI are also members ofthe NYSE; and

•

Santander Securities Corporation, Santander Investment Securities, Banesto

Securities, and ANSI will not engage in derivatives market marking and hedging,

asset management and insurance, but rather will only engage in unsolicited

brokerage activities in the nOlmal course of its business with its customers.

The exemption is subject to the following conditions:

1.. None ofthe transactions ofthe Companies described in your letter shall occur in

the United States, with the exception ofthe unsolicited brokerage of the U.S.

Brokerage Units, the Puerto Rican client asset management activities ofthe

Puerto Rico Asset Manager and non-U.S. client asset management activities of

Banco Santander International described in your letter;

2. All ofthe transactions described in your letter shall be effected in the ordinary

course ofbusiness and not for the purpose of facilitating the Acquisition;

3. The Acquisition documents distributed to U.S. holders will disclose the possibility

of, or the intention to make, the transactions described in you letter;

4. Santander and each ofthe Companies will provide to the Division of Trading and

Markets (''Division''), upon request, a time-sequenced schedule of all such

transactions made during the Restricted Period. Such schedule will include:

! .

(a) size, broker (if any), time of execution, and price ofthe transactions;

(b) the exchange, quotation system, or other facility through which the

transactions occurred, and

.

(c) whether the transactions were made for a customer account or a

proprietary account;

5. Upon requ~t of the Division, Santan,der and each ofthe Compl;lnies will transmit

the information requested in item 4 (above) to the Division at its offices in

Washington, D.C. within 30 days ofits request;

Nicholas A. Kronfeld

August 18, 2008

Page 5 of5

6. Santander and each of the Companies shall retain all documents and other

information required to be maintained pursuant to this exemption for at least two

years following the completion ofthe Acquisition;

7. Representatives of Santander and each ofthe Companies shall be made available

(in person at the offices ofthe Commission in Washington, D.C. or by telephone)

to respond to inquiries ofthe Division relating to their records; and

8. Except as otherwise exempted by this letter, Santander and each ofthe Companies

will comply with Regulation M.

The foregoing exemption from Rules 101 and 102 ofRegulation M is based

solely on your representations and the facts presented to the staff and is strictly limited to

the application ofthis rule to the proposed transactions. Such transactions should be

discontinued, pending presentation of the facts for our consideration, in the event that any

material change occurs with respect to any ofthose facts or representations.

In addition, your attention is directed to the anti-fraud and anti-manipulation

provisions ofthe Exchange Act, including Sections 9(a) and 10(b), and Rule 10b-5

thereunder. Responsibility for compliance with these and any other applicable provisions

of the federal securities laws must rest with the participants in the various transactions.

The Division expresses no view with respect to any other questions that the proposed

transactions may raise, including, but not limited to, the adequacy of disclosure

concerning, and the applicability of any other federal or state laws to, the proposed

transactions.

For the Commission,

by the Division ofTrading and Markets,

pursuant to delegated authority,

James A. Brigagliano

Associate Director

Attachment

DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL

450 LEXINGTON AVENUE

NEW YORK, NY 100 17

MENLO PARK

WASHINGTON.

D.C.

LONDON

2 I 2 450 4000

FAX 2 I 24503800

PARIS

FRANKF'URT

MADRID

TOKYO

NICHOLAS ADAMS KRONFELD

BEIJING

2124504950

HONG KONG

NICHOL.AS. KRONrELO@OPW.COM

August 18, 2008

Re:

Banco Santander, S.A. Request for Exemptive Relief from Rules 101

and 102 of Regulation M

James A. Brigagliano

Associate Director

Division of Trading and Markets

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, D.C. 20549

Dear Mr. Brigagliano:

We are writing as counsel to Banco Santander, S.A. ("Santander"), a

bank organized under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain, with respect to the

application of Regulation M to transactions by Santander and its affiliates in the

ordinary shares of Santander (the "Santander Shares") during the distribution of

Santander Shares to be made by Santander to shareholders of Alliance &

Leicester pIc, a bank organized under the laws of England and Wales ("A&L"), in

connection with the proposed acquisition of A&L by Santander (the

"Acquisition"). Specifically, on behalf of Santander, we ask the members of the

staff (the "Staff') of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to

grant Santander exemptive relief from Rules 101 and 102 of Regulation M to

permit Santander and its affiliates to continue, in the ordinary course of their

respective businesses as described below and in accordance with applicable local

law, to engage in the activities described below during the distribution of

Santander Shares in connection with the Acquisition. In connection with the

relief requested by Santander in this letter, please note that substantially similar

James A. Brigagliano

2

August 18, 2008

exemptive relief from Rules 101 and 102 of Regulation M was granted to

Santander under your exemptive letter dated September 10, 2004. 1

Market Making Activities. As is customary in Spain for financial

institutions, Santander engages in market making activities with respect to

Santander Shares through a subsidiary dedicated to that function (the "Market

Making Subsidiary,,).2 The Market Making Subsidiary makes bids and offers

for Santander Shares on the Automated Quotation System (Sistema de

Intercanexi6n Bursdtil Espana!) of the Spanish stock exchanges (the "AQS"), the

centralized national market that integrates by computer quotation the Spanish

stock exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia (collectively, the

"Spanish Exchanges") and purchases and sells Santander Shares on the AQS.

The Market Making Subsidiary effects these transactions for its own account in

order to provide liquidity to the market.

Derivatives Market Making and Hedging. As part of its business, the

Treasury department of Santander and Wallcesa, S.A. (a subsidiary of Santander)

that effects trades in derivatives on Santander Shares in connection with stock

options issued by Santander (the "Derivatives Market Maker") issues, buys and

sells derivatives on Santander Shares or on baskets or indices including Santander

Shares (the "Santander Share Derivatives") for its own account and for the

accounts of its customers outside the United States. These derivatives include

listed and over-the-counter options, warrants, futures, convertible securities and

other structured products relating to Santander Shares or to baskets or indices

including Santander Shares, as well as index futures on the foregoing. The

Derivatives Market Maker engages in derivatives market making activities, on

both solicited and unsolicited bases, in order to provide liquidity to the derivatives

market and to facilitate customers' derivatives transactions. These transactions

are effected primarily on the MEFF Renta Variable, S.A. (the "MEFF Renta

Variable") with the balance occurring on other exchanges outside the United

States and, in some cases, in the over-the-counter market outside the United

States. In addition, the Derivatives Market Maker solicits and effects trades in

Santander Shares or in derivatives, including listed and over-the-counter options,

warrants, futures, convertible securities and other structured products relating to

Santander Shares or baskets or indices including Santander Shares, as well as

index futures on the foregoing, for its own account and for the accounts of its

customers for the purpose of hedging positions (or adjusting or liquidating

existing hedge positions) belonging to it and its customers that are established in

connection with these derivatives market making activities. The hedging

transactions in Santander Shares are effected outside the United States through the

AQS and the hedging transactions in derivatives on Santander Shares are effected

outside the United States on the MEFF Renta Variable, on other exchanges

See Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A., SEC No-Action Letter, File No. TP 04-70 (Sep.

10,2004).

Santander's market making activities are carried out by Pereda Gestion, SA., a corporation

organized under the laws of Spain.

James A. Brigagliano

3

August 18, 2008

outside the United States and in the over-the-counter market outside the United

States. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the six months

ended June 30, 2008 these market making and hedging transactions in Santander

Shares and derivatives on Santander Shares amounted to approximately 3.99%

and 1.31 %, respectively, of the value of average daily trading volume (the

"ADTV") in Santander Shares on the Spanish Exchanges.

Trading in Santander Shares by the Asset Managers. Certain affiliates of

Santander manage the assets of mutual funds, pension funds and discretionary

investor portfolios (such affiliates, the "Asset Managers"; such funds and

discretionary investor portfolios, the "Managed Funds,,).3 As part of their

ordinary investment management activities on behalf of the Managed Funds, the

Asset Managers buy and sell Santander Shares and derivatives, including listed

and over-the-counter options, warrants, convertible securities and other structured

products relating to Santander Shares or baskets or indices including Santander

Shares, as well as index futures on the foregoing, for the Managed Funds'

accounts.

Trading by the Insurance Company. As part of its ordinary business,

Santander Seguros y Reaseguros, S.A., an affiliate of Santander incorporated in

Spain (the "Insurance Company"), sells certain insurance products requiring the

insurer to invest the premiums paid by the purchaser of the policies within certain

asset classes determined by that purchaser (such as shares represented in the

IBEX 35 Index, which includes Santander Shares) (such products, the "Asset

The Asset Managers consist of Banif Gestion, S.A., S.G.I.I.C., Banesto Banca Privada

Gestion, S.A., S.G.I.I.C., Optimal Alternative Investment, S.A., S.G.I.I.C., Santander

Carteras, S.G.C., S.A., Santander Asset Management, S.A., S.G.I.I.C. and Santander

Pensiones, S.A., E.G.F.P., each a corporation organized under the laws of Spain (collectively,

the "Spanish Asset Managers"), Santander Rio Asset Management Gerente de Fondos

Comunes de Inversion SA., a corporation organized under the laws of Argentina, Santander

Asset Management DTVM, Ltda., a corporation organized under the laws of Brazil,

Santander Asset Management, S.A., Administradora General de Fondos, a corporation

organized under the laws of Chile, Santander Investment Trust Colombia S.A., Sociedad

Fiduciaria, a corporation organized under the laws of Colombia, Santander Asset

Management Ireland, Ltd., a corporation organized under the laws ofIreland, Santander

Private Banking, SpA, a corporation organized under the laws of Italy, Santander Asset

Management Luxembourg, S.A., a corporation organized under the laws of Luxembourg,

Gestion Santander, S.A. de C.V., Sociedad Operadora de Sociedades de Inversion, Grupo

Financiero Santander, each a corporation organized under the laws of Mexico, Santander

Asset Management - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Investimento Mobiliario, S.A. and

Santander Pensoes - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Pensoes, S.A., each a corporation

organized under the laws of Portugal, Santander Asset Management Corporation, a

corporation organized under the laws of Puerto Rico (the "Puerto Rico Asset Manager"),

Banco Santander (Suisse), S.A. and Optimal Investment Services, S.A., each a corporation

organized under the laws of Switzerland, Santander Asset Management UK Holding Ltd.,

Santander Asset Management UK Limited, Abbey National PEP & ISA Managers Limited"

Santander Unit Trust Managers UK Limited, and Santander Portfolio Management UK

Limited, each a corporation organized under the laws of the United Kingdom, and Banco

Santander International, a banking corporation organized under U.S. laws ("Banco

Santander International").

James A. Brigagliano

4

August 18, 2008

Class Policies"). The Insurance Company does not provide any investment

advice to purchasers with respect to the asset classes that may be selected by the

customer as part of the Asset Class Policies.

Unsolicited Brokerage. The Non-U.S. Brokerage Units 4 effect unsolicited

brokerage transactions in Santander Shares by placing orders on the AQS and

other overseas exchanges or effecting trades in the over-the-counter markets in

Spain and elsewhere outside the United States. These transactions arise from

unsolicited buy or sell orders received by the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units from

their customers, although the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units may solicit the other side

of these transactions. Additionally, Santander conducts a securities business

through its affiliated U.S. (including Puerto Rico) broker-dealers, Santander

Securities Corporation, a corporation incorporated under the laws of Puerto Rico

("Santander Securities Corporation"), Santander Investment Securities, Inc., a

corporation incorporated under the laws ofthe state of Delaware ("Santander

Investment Securities"), Banesto Securities, Inc., a corporation incorporated

under the laws of the state of Delaware ("Banesto Securities"), and Abbey

National Securities Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of

Delaware ("ANSI" and, together with Santander Securities Corporation,

Santander Investment Securities and Banesto Securities, the "U.S. Brokerage

Units"; the U.S. Brokerage Units, together with the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units,

the "Brokerage Units"), each of which may engage in unsolicited brokerage

transactions in the Santander Shares and Santander American Depositary Shares

(the "Santander ADSs") with its customers in the United States. These

transactions would be effected in the United States markets or in the non-U.S.

markets described above. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2007

and the six months ended June 30, 2008, the unsolicited brokerage activities of

the Brokerage Units (excluding trades executed by the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units

on behalf of the Market Making Subsidiary) as a percentage of the worldwide

value of ADTV in Santander Shares was 12.91 % and 10.36%, respectively.

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the six months ended

The Non-U.S. Brokerage Units consist of Santander Investment Bolsa, S.V., S.A. and Banesto

Bolsa, S.A., Sociedad de Valores y Bolsa, each a corporation organized under the laws of

Spain (together, the "Spanish Brokerage Units"), Santander Sociedad de Bolsa, S.A., a

corporation organized under the laws of Argentina, Santander Investment Limited, a

corporation organized under the laws of Bahamas, Banespa, S.A. Corretora de Cambio e

Titulos, Santander Brasil S.A., Corretora de Cambio e Valores Mobiliarios, Santander

Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios Ltda. and Norchem Participayoes.e

Consultoria, S.A., each a corporation organized under the laws of Brazil, Santander

Investment Valores Colombia, S.A., Comisionista de Bolsa Comercial, each a corporation

organized under the laws of Colombia, Santander Investment, S.A. Corredores de Bolsa and

Santander, S.A. Agente de Valores, each a corporation organized under the laws of Chile,

Casa de Bolsa Santander, S.A. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander and Efectividad en

Medios de Pago, S.A. de C.V., each a corporation organized under the laws of Mexico,

Marylebone Road CBO 3, BV, a corporation organized under the laws of The Netherlands,

Banco Santander de Negocios Portugal, S.A., a corporation organized under the laws of

Portugal, Abbey Stockbrokers Limited, a corporation organized under the laws of the United

Kingdom, and Valores Santander Casa de Bolsa, c.A., a corporation organized under the laws

of Venezuela.

James A. Brigagliano

5

August 18, 2008

June 30, 2008, the unsolicited brokerage activities of the U.S. Brokerage Units

collectively as a percentage of the worldwide value of ADTV in Santander Shares

was 0.07% and 0.11 %, respectively.

The Market Making Subsidiary, the Derivatives Market Maker, the

Spanish Asset Managers, the Insurance Company and the Spanish Brokerage

Units are collectively referred to herein as the "Spanish Companies". The

Spanish Companies, together with the other Asset Managers and the other

Brokerage Units are collectively referred to herein as the "Companies".

The availability of the exemptions Santander is requesting would be

conditioned on the disclosure and record-keeping undertakings outlined below.

The descriptions of factual matters in this letter, including the market for

Santander Shares and the Companies' business and market activities, as well as

the descriptions of certain matters under Spanish law and the laws of other

jurisdictions outside the United States included in this letter, have been provided

to us by Santander.

I.

The Market for Santander Shares

The principal trading market for Santander Shares is on the Spanish

Exchanges through the AQS in Spain. The Santander Shares also are listed on the

New York (in the form of the Santander ADSs); Milan, Lisbon, Buenos Aires,

London and Mexico Stock Exchanges. Each Santander ADS represents one

Santander Share and is evidenced by an American Depositary Receipt issued by

JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Depositary. Santander is a foreign private issuer as

defined in Rule 3b-4(c) under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

As of December 31, 2007,6,254,296,579 Santander Shares were

outstanding, held by 2,278,321 record holders. Approximately 62.38% of the

outstanding Santander Shares were held of record by non-residents of Spain and

14.37% of the outstanding Santander Shares were held by 796 record holders with

registered addresses in the United States (including Puerto Rico).

As of June 30, 2008, 6,254,296,579 Santander Shares were outstanding,

held by 2,255,266 record holders. Approximately 62.77% of the outstanding

Santander Shares were held of record by non-residents of Spain and 14.37% of

the outstanding Santander Shares were held by 814 record holders with registered

addresses in the United States (including Puerto Rico).

Santander's market capitalization at June 30, 2008 was approximately

€72.99 billion ($114.94 billion),5 the largest of any Spanish bank and the second

Throughout this letter, euros have been translated to dollars at the rate ofEI .00 = $1.4603, the

noon buying rate in New York City published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on

December 3 1,2007, with regard to data as of or for periods ended December 3 1,2007, and at

the rate of at the rate of€1.00 = $1.5748, the noon buying rate in New York City published by

James A. Brigagliano

6

August 18, 2008

largest of any Spanish company, representing 17.65% of the IBEX 35 Index. The

values of ADTV in the Santander Shares on the Spanish Exchanges during the

twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008

were approximately £1,190.63 million ($1,738.68 million) and €1,188.69 million

($1,871.95 million), or 97.8% and 95.0% of the global value of ADTV,

respectively. The ADTV in number of shares in the Santander Shares on the

Spanish Exchanges during the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the

six months ended June 30, 2008 were approximately 85.4 million shares and 94.1

million shares, respectively. The values of ADTV of the ADSs on the New York

Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") during the twelve months ended December 31,

2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008 were approximately $11.66 million

and $21.84 million, respectively. The values of ADTV ofthe Santander Shares

on the Milan, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, London and Mexico Stock Exchanges during

the twelve months ended December 31,2007 and the six months ended June 30,

2008 were, in the aggregate, approximately €18.0 1 million ($26.30 million) and

€48.22 million ($75.94 million), respectively.

The AQS links the Spanish Exchanges, providing securities listed on it

with a uniform continuous market that eliminates the differences among the

Spanish Exchanges. The principal feature of the system is the computerized

matching of buy and sell orders at the time of entry of the order. Each order is

executed as soon as a matching order is entered, but can be modified or canceled

until executed. The activity of the market can be continuously monitored by

investors and brokers. All trades on the AQS must be placed through a bank, a

brokerage firm, an official stock broker or a dealer firm member of a Spanish

Exchange directly. The AQS operates separate order-matching systems for block

trades (which exceed certain minimum amounts) and all other trades.

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the six months

ended June 30, 2008, the aggregate turnover on the Spanish Exchanges, for both

equity and debt securities, was in excess of€5,891 billion and €3,399 billion,

respectively, and as of December 31, 2007 and June 30, 2008, the overall market

capitalization of equity securities listed on the Spanish Exchanges was

approximately €1 ,384.7 billion and €1 ,259.0 billion, respectively. As of

December 31,2007 and June 30, 2008, there were 3,537 and 3,615 listed

companies on the Spanish Exchanges, respectively.

II.

Santander's Market Activities

Santander is one of the world's largest banking and financial services

groups, and its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain. In addition, Santander has

subsidiary, branch, representative and similar offices worldwide. Santander is

regulated and licensed under the Bank of Spain in Spain, and its branches and

affiliates in the United States are subject to applicable U.S. bank regulations,

the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on June 30, 2008, with regard to data as of or for

periods ended June 30, 2008.

James A. Brigagliano

7

August 18, 2008

among other laws and regulations. Santander has confirmed that the activities

described below, for which it is requesting relief, are permitted under and would

be conducted in accordance with applicable Spanish law and other non-U.S. laws.

Assuming the requested relief is granted, Santander has confirmed that the

activities described below also would be conducted in accordance with applicable

U.S. law.

In the continental United States, Santander conducts a securities business

through Santander Investment Securities, Banesto Securities and ANSI and an

asset management business for non-U.S. clients through Banco Santander

International. During the twelve-month period of August 1,2007 through July

30, 2008, purchases and sales by Banco Santander International of Santander

Shares and ADSs totaled approximately $1.39 million. Santander Investment

Securities and ANSI are registered with the SEC as broker-dealers and are

members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Association ("FINRA") and the

NYSE. Banesto Securities is registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer and is a

member of FINRA. In Puerto Rico, Santander conducts a securities business

through Santander Securities Corporation and an asset management business

through the Puerto Rico Asset Manager. During the period from June 1, 2007

through July 30, 2008, purchases and sales by the Puerto Rico Asset Manager of

Santander Shares and ADSs totaled approximately $196 thousand. Santander

Securities Corporation is registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer and is a

member of FINRA. With respect to those activities for which Santander is

seeking relief, Santander Investment Securities, Banesto Securities and ANSI will

only engage in unsolicited brokerage activities in the United States, Santander

Securities Corporation will only engage in unsolicited brokerage activities in

Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Asset Manager will only engage in asset

management activities in Puerto Rico and Banco Santander International will only

engage in asset management activities from the continental United States for nonU.S. clients. The rest of the activities for which Santander is seeking relief

(including unsolicited brokerage and asset management), with the possible

exception of trades made by the Spanish Asset Managers, which, due to their

fiduciary obligations as asset managers, cannot follow instructions from

Santander, or by the Asset Managers not based in Spain, which may not be able to

follow the instructions to be provided by Santander due to the same fiduciary

duties, will be conducted by the Spanish Companies and the other Companies

outside the United States and Puerto Rico as described below.

Market Making Activities. As is customary in Spain for financial

institutions, Santander engages in market making activities with respect to

Santander Shares through its Market Making Subsidiary. The Market Making

Subsidiary makes bids and offers for Santander Shares and purchases and sells

Santander Shares on the AQS. The Market Making Subsidiary effects these

transactions for its own account in order to provide liquidity to the market. The

Market Making Subsidiary conducts its market making activities outside the

United States and manages these activities from Madrid.

James A. Brigagliano

8

August 18, 2008

As noted above, the AQS is an order-matching system, not an inter-dealer

market with formal, officially designated market makers. The Market Making

Subsidiary engages in its market making activities by placing bids and offers on

the AQS, primarily through one of the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units. However, the

Market Making Subsidiary is not required to and does not maintain independently

established bid and ask prices. In connection with block trades, if an adequate

counterparty order is not available on the AQS at the time that the bid or offer is

placed, the broker through which the order was placed, or the Market Making

Subsidiary itself, may solicit counterparty orders. The Market Making Subsidiary

is not required to make a market in the Santander Shares. Accordingly, the

Market Making Subsidiary does not act as a "market maker" as that term is

understood in the U.S. securities markets.

Santander believes that the Market Making Subsidiary is the only market

maker for Santander Shares on the Spanish Exchanges and, for the twelve months

ended December 31, 2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008, the Market

Making Subsidiary's market making activities accounted for approximately

1.065% and 1.853% of the value of ADTV in Santander Shares on the Spanish

Exchanges. At times when supply has significantly exceeded demand, its share of

such value of ADTV has increased materially, but the Market Making

Subsidiary's market making activities generally do not comprise in excess of20%

of the value of ADTV in Santander Shares as measured on a daily basis, on the

Spanish Exchanges. The monthly average percentage of outstanding Santander

Shares held by the Marketing Making Subsidiary as a result of market making

activities ranged from 0.294% to 0.005% during the twelve months ended

December 31, 2007 and ranged from 0.675% to 0.175% during the six months

ended June 30, 2008.

During the restricted period for the Acquisition (the "Restricted Period"),

the Market Making Subsidiary intends to continue its market making activities in

the ordinary course of business, although the Acquisition distribution may result

in increased selling pressure and thus volumes of transactions by the Market

Making Subsidiary may be higher than average and represent a greater than

average percentage of trading volume, including in excess of20% of such daily

trading volume.

Derivatives Market Making and Hedging. The Derivatives Market Maker

conducts its derivatives market making and hedging activities outside the United

States and manages these activities principally from Spain. In Spain, the

Derivatives Market Maker is admitted under the MEFF Renta Variable rules as a

market maker and is a significant market maker in derivatives of Santander

Shares. The Derivatives Market Maker is also the only market maker on the

Spanish Exchanges of securitized derivatives issued by it and based, in whole or

in part, on the Santander Shares and the Derivatives Market Maker i~ required by

applicable stock exchange rules to provide quotes for such derivatives it issues.

This activity involves the issuance, purchase and sale of derivative products for its

own account and for the accounts of its customers, on both solicited and

unsolicited bases, on the Spanish Exchanges, certain other non-U.S. exchanges

James A. Brigagliano

9

August 18, 2008

and in the over-the-counter market in Spain and elsewhere outside the United

States. These derivatives products include listed and over-the-counter options,

warrants, futures and other securities that are exercisable or convertible into, or

the value of which is determined by reference to, Santander Shares or proprietary

or third-party baskets or indices including Santander Shares. These derivatives

may also include index futures on the foregoing and total return cash-settled

equity swaps on Santander Shares in connection with stock options issued by

Santander. The Derivatives Market Maker's derivatives market making involves

issuing, purchasing and selling derivatives on Santander Shares in order to

facilitate customer orders and to provide liquidity to the market.

In addition, as a result of its derivatives market making, the Derivatives

Market Maker will maintain varying positions in these derivatives and its

financial exposure to movements in the price of the Santander Shares will vary

from time to time. In order to manage this financial exposure, the Derivatives

Market Maker continually enters into hedging transactions that involve, in whole

or in part, purchases and sales of Santander Shares or of derivatives based on

Santander Shares, for its own account and on behalf of its customers in order to

assist them in hedging their own derivatives positions. The derivatives hedging

transactions in Santander Shares described above occur primarily on the AQS and

on the MEFF Renta Variable, with the balance occurring on other exchanges

outside the United States and, in some cases, in the over-the-counter market

outside the United States. During the twelve months ended December 31,2007

and the six months ended June 30, 2008, these market making and hedging

transactions in Santander Shares represented approximately 3.99% and 1.31 %,

respectively, of the value of ADTV in Santander Shares on the Spanish

Exchanges.

Trading in Santander Shares by the Asset Managers. As part of their

ordinary investment management activities, the Asset Managers buy and sell

Santander Shares and derivatives, including listed and over-the-counter options,

warrants, convertible securities and other structured products related to Santander

Shares or baskets or indices including Santander Shares, as well as index futures

on the foregoing, outside the United States for the Managed Funds' accounts. 6

Under Spanish law, the Asset Managers have a fiduciary duty to oversee the

Managed Funds in a manner that is in the best interests of the investors of those

funds. 7 The Asset Managers are prohibited by law from taking into account any

6

The Puerto Rico Asset Manager conducts such activities in Puerto Rico and Banco Santander

International conducts such activities in the continental United States for non-U.S. clients.

Both entities' volume of trading in Santander Shares has historically been low.

7

Under Spanish law, Santander cannot issue directives to the Spanish Asset Managers

requesting them to stop trading in any specific security for a specified period. This has been

confinned orally by the Spanish National Markets Commission (the "CNMV"). As a result,

prior to the commencement of the Restricted Period, Santander will instead issue advisory

notices to the Spanish Asset Managers infonning them that any trading by them in Santander

Shares or derivatives during the Restricted Period could result in a violation of U.S. law.

Prior to the commencement of the Restricted Period, Santander will issue directives to the

Asset Managers not based in Spain requesting such Asset Managers to stop trading in

James A. Brigagliano

10

August 18, 2008

factors other than the interests of the Managed Funds' beneficiaries in making

investment decisions. Accordingly, the Asset Managers would be prohibited by

law from following a directive by Santander to cease trading Santander Shares

and derivatives, including listed and over-the-counter options, warrants,

convertible securities and other structured products related to Santander Shares or

baskets or indices including Santander Shares, as well as index futures on the

foregoing, during the Restricted Period, unless the Asset Managers believed that

cessation of such trading was in the best interests of the Managed Fund's

beneficiaries. s Similarly, the Asset Managers would be prohibited by law from

following a Santander directive to bid for or purchase Santander Shares and

derivatives, including listed and over-the-counter options, warrants, convertible

securities and other structured products related to Santander Shares or baskets or

indices including Santander Shares, as well as index futures on the foregoing,

unless the Asset Managers independently concluded that such bids or purchases

were in the best interests of the Managed Fund's beneficiaries.

Trading by the Insurance Company. The Insurance Company purchases

Santander Shares in connection with investing premiums paid on Asset Class

Policies, which require investments within a narrow class of assets, such as the

IBEX 35 Index, that may include Santander Shares. The Insurance Company

conducts these activities outside the United States.

Under Spanish law, the Insurance Company has a fiduciary duty to the

purchasers of Asset Class Policies to oversee the investments with respect to those

policies in a manner that is in the best interests of those purchasers. The

Insurance Company may not take into account any factors other than the interests

of its insureds in making investment decisions under those policies. Accordingly,

the Insurance Company would be prohibited by law from following, with respect

to the Asset Class Policies, a directive by Santander to cease trading Santander

Shares during the Restricted Period, unless such a halt in trading were in the best

Santander Shares or derivatives until the termination of the Restricted Period. However, in

light of the fiduciary duties that the Asset Managers have to the beneficiaries of the Managed

Funds, no assurances can be given that the Asset Managers will in fact refrain from trading in

Santander Shares or derivatives during the Restricted Period. Accordingly, we are asking that

the requested relief cover the asset management activities of the Asset Managers to the extent

that the Asset Managers continue to trade in Santander Shares or derivatives in the ordinary

course of business during the Restricted Period.

Some of the pension funds managed by the Asset Managers have an "investment oversight

committee" charged with overseeing the investments made by the Asset Managers. In certain

cases, representatives and/or employees of Santander or its affiliates may be members of

those investment oversight committees. However, those committees (and their members)

would be unable to require the pension fund Asset Manager to stop or start trading Santander

Shares or derivatives during the Restricted Period if the Asset Manager did not believe it was

in the best interests of the fund's owners to do so. The representatives and/or employees of.

Santander who participate on the investment oversight committees are, like the Asset

Managers themselves, isolated by Chinese Walls from the areas of Santander where pricesensitive information relating to Santander Shares or derivatives and where information

relating to the Acquisition would be discussed.

James A. Brigagliano

11

August 18,2008

interests of the purchasers of those policies. Similarly, the Insurance Company

would be prohibited by law from following a Santander directive to bid for or

purchase Santander Shares unless the Insurance Company independently

concluded that such bids or purchases were in the best interests of its insureds

under the Asset Class Policies.

Unsolicited Brokerage. The Non-U.S. Brokerage Units effect unsolicited

brokerage transactions in the Santander Shares by placing orders on the Spanish

Exchanges and other overseas exchanges or effecting trades in the over-thecounter market in Spain and elsewhere outside the United States, in each case on

behalf of customers. These transactions arise from unsolicited buy and sell orders

received from their customers, although the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units may

solicit the other side of these transactions. The unsolicited brokerage activities of

the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units (excluding trades executed by the Non-U.S.

Brokerage Units on behalf of the Market Making Subsidiary) represented

approximately 13.12% and 10.79% of the value of ADTV in Santander Shares on

the Spanish Exchanges during the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and

the six months ended June 30, 2008, respectively.

Although the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units from time to time provide advice

to their customers regarding an investment in Santander Shares, none of the NonU.S. Brokerage Units, Santander or any subsidiary of Santander publishes

research reports concerning Santander. Furthermore, the Non-U.S. Brokerage

Units' personnel have been instructed not to make any investment

recommendations to their customers with respect to Santander Shares or ADSs

during the Restricted Period.

As of June 30, 2008, 55.95% of Santander Shares were held by customers

of Santander and its affiliates in securities accounts at Santander and its affiliates

in Spain. The Non-U.S. Brokerage Units are required by Spanish law, as well as,

in some cases, by the terms of their contracts with customers, to facilitate the

trading activity of customers as described above. 9 It would place a substantial

burden on the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units' customers to require them to transfer

their Santander Shares to a securities account with another bank, or to have the

Non-U.S. Brokerage Units place orders with another bank, in order to make trades

with respect to Santander Shares during the Restricted Period. Moreover, the

Non-U.S. Brokerage Units would likely lose a significant number of those

customers if the Non-U.S. Brokerage Units were prevented from providing them

with customary facilitation services during the Restricted Period.

As noted above, the U.S. Brokerage Units may also engage in unsolicited

brokerage transactions in the Santander Shares with their customers in the United

States. These transactions would be effected on the NYSE, in the over-thecounter markets in the United States or in the non-U.S. market~ described above.

9

The Brokerage Units are not required, however, to buy or selI Santander Shares as principal

for the benefit of their clients.

James A. Brigagliano

12

August 18, 2008

The personnel of the U.S. Brokerage Units have been instructed not to make any

investment recommendations to their customers with respect to Santander Shares

or ADSs during the Restricted Period.

Significance to Market. As noted above, the Market Making Subsidiary's

market making activities accounted for 1.065% and 1.853% of the values of

ADTV in Santander Shares on the Spanish Exchanges during the twelve months

ended December 31, 2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008, respectively,

while the derivatives market mals-ing and hedging activities of the Derivatives

Market Maker and the unsolicited brokerage activities of the Non-U.S. Brokerage

Units (excluding trades executed on behalf of the Market Making Subsidiary)

represented approximately 3.99% and 13.12%, respectively, of such 2007 value of

ADTV and approximately 1.31% and 10.79%, respectively, of such 2008 value of

ADTV. In the aggregate, these market activities represented approximately

18.175% and 13.953% ofthe values of ADTV in Santander Shares on the Spanish

Exchanges during the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the six

months ended June 30, 2008, respectively, making Santander, on an aggregate

basis, the largest market participant in the market for Santander Shares on the

Spanish Exchanges and the only market maker in such shares. Although

Santander is unable to determine on whose behalf the non-Santander record

holders of Santander Shares are trading such shares on the Spanish Exchanges,

the second largest participant in the market for Santander Shares accounted for

only approximately 8.69% and 12.60% of the values of ADTV in Santander

Shares on the Spanish Exchanges during the twelve months ended December 31,

2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008, respectively.

Chinese Walls. Santander maintains and enforces written "Chinese Wall"

policies and procedures to prevent material non-public information from passing

between the sales/trading areas and other sensitive areas of Santander (including

any investment oversight committee). Accordingly, during restricted periods

prior to announcements of earnings results or other material developments that

have not yet become public, all market making and other ordinary course market

activities of Santander are permitted to continue. Under these policies and

procedures, Santander's traders and sales force who conduct these market

activities will generally be able to continue doing so during and outside these

restricted periods, although senior management may restrict such activities in

extraordinary circumstances. Santander will continue to maintain and enforce

these policies and procedures during the Restricted Period.

Other affiliates of Santander conduct market activities in Santander Shares

in the ordinary course of their business. In connection with the Acquisition, these

other affiliates will comply with Regulation M, either by suspending their market

activities during the relevant period or by conducting those activities in

accordance with an available exception froIl) Regulation M. These exceptions

might include those available for "affiliated purchasers." Accordingly, Santander

is not seeking relief from the Staff for these activities.

III.

The Santander/A&L Acquisition

James A. Brigagliano

13

August 18, 2008

On July 14,2008, Santander and A&L announced the tenus of the

Acquisition pursuant to which holders of A&L common stock will, if the

Acquisition is completed, receive one share of Santander common stock for every

three shares of A&L common stock. The Acquisition will be effected by means

of a Scheme of Arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 of

England and Wales. Pursuant to the provisions of Part 26, Santander intends to

deliver the Santander Shares in exchange for the cancellation of A&L's shares. In

order for the Scheme of Arrangement to become effective and binding, the

following steps must take place in sequence:

•

distribution of a proxy statement/explanatory document to all registered

shareholders 1o of A&L which contains the background to, reasons for, and

terms and conditions of the Acquisition as well as notices of the Court

Meeting (as defined below) and Shareholders' Meeting (as defined

below), which meetings are scheduled to occur approximately one month

after the distribution of such proxy statement/offering document;

•

approval of the Scheme of Arrangement by a majority in number of the

holders of A&L's shares representing not less than 75% in value of the

votes cast of holders of such shares at a meeting (the "Court Meeting")

convened at the direction of the High Court of England and Wales (the

"High Court");

•

approval of a special resolution required to implement the Scheme of

Arrangement through a capital reduction in A&L by holders of A&L's

shares representing not less than 75% in value of votes cast of holders of

such shares at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders convened

by A&L (the "Shareholders' Meeting");

•

approval by Santander Shareholders at Santander's General Shareholders'

Meeting of an increase in Santander's share capital so that Santander may

issue new Santander Shares pursuant to the Scheme of Arrangement;

•

the sanction of the Scheme of Arrangement by the High Court after a

hearing relating thereto and delivery of such court order to the Registrar of

Companies in England and Wales;

•

the confirmation of the capital reduction of A&L by the High Court after a

hearing related thereto; and

•

the registration of the court order approving the capital reduction of A&L

with the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales.

\0 Shareholders in certain jurisdictions will not receive the proxy statement due to local

securities law restrictions.

James A. Brigagliano

14

August 18, 2008

In order to sanction the Scheme of Arrangement, the High Court must

consider, among other things, the fairness of the Scheme of Arrangement with

regard to the interests of A&L's shareholders. In determining whether to sanction

the Scheme of Arrangement, the Court may require additional evidence as to the

fairness of the Scheme of Anangement and may entertain any objections brought

by interested parties. Because of the various procedural steps which need to be

completed in order for the Acquisition to be sanctioned as a Scheme of

Arrangement (including the obtaining of necessary anti-trust and regulatory

approvals and clearances in the United Kingdom, the satisfaction of certain

closing conditions and the approval required by Santander's shareholders in order

to effect a necessary capital increase), Santander estimates that the entire process

could last up to two months after distribution ofthe proxy statement (and

potentially longer in the event of a competing offer for A&L).

The Santander Shares to be delivered pursuant to the Scheme of

Arrangement will be issued to U.S. persons without registration under the

Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Section 3(a)(1O) thereof. The Santander

Shares to be delivered to A&L's shareholders will represent approximately 2.2%

of the Santander Shares outstanding upon consummation of the Acquisition.

A&L's shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and their principal market

is in the United Kingdom. In addition, ADRs representing A&L's shares, issued

under one unsponsored ADR program, are traded in the over-the-counter market

in the United States; II Santander has been advised that such trading comprised

approximately 0.39% of the total global trading volume of A&L shares traded

during the twelve-month period ended July 11,2008. As of July 14,2008, the

date on which the Acquisition was announced, the Acquisition consideration

represented a premium of approximately 36.4% for A&L's shareholders (based

on the July 11 closing prices for the Santander Shares and A&L shares) and a

premium of approximately 44.6% for such shareholders (based on the July 11

closing prices for the Santander Shares and A&L shares and taking into account

an interim dividend that A&L contemplates declaring prior to the effective date of

the Acquisition).

IV.

Application of Regulation M

In connection with the Acquisition, Santander will distribute Santander

Shares to A&L shareholders, some of whom are expected to reside in the United

States, and may therefore be considered to be engaged in a distribution in the

United States for purposes of Regulation M. Pursuant to Rule 100 under

Regulation M, the Restricted Period will begin on the day that the proxy

statement/offering document is first mailed to A&L shareholders and will end

once A&L's shareholders have approved the Acquisition at the Shareholders'

Meeting. Thus, as noted above, the Restricted Period is likely to last

approximately one month (or potentiallylonger in the event of a competing offer

for A&L).

II

The file number for the Fonn F-6 relating to this program is 333-] 51735.

James A. Brigagliano

15

August 18, 2008

As business units of Santand~r that, from time to time, purchase Santander

Shares for their own accounts and the accounts of others and recommend and

exercise investment discretion with respect to the purchase of Santander Shares,

the Companies may be deemed to be "affiliated purchasers" of Santander, as

defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M. In addition, none of the Companies

currently intends to participate in the proxy solicitation effort relating to the

Acquisition; accordingly, they would not be deemed to be "distribution

participants" as defined in Rule 100 and, thus, would be subject to Rule 102 of

Regulation M. 12

Under Rule 102, the Companies will not be permitted to bid for or

purchase, or attempt to induce any person to bid for or purchase, Santander Shares

during the Restricted Period unless one of the specified exceptions under Rule

102 is available. There are no exceptions available under Rule 102 that would

permit the Companies to engage in the market-making, derivatives hedging, asset

management, insurance and unsolicited brokerage activities described in Section

II of this letter. Therefore, without the requested exemptive relief, the Companies

would not be permitted to engage in these activities for an extended period of

time, which is likely to last approximately one month (or potentially longer in the

event of a competing offer for A&L).

Santander believes that the withdrawal of the most important market

participant and the only market maker in Santander Shares in the primary market

for those shares, which are among the most actively traded in Spain, for such an

extended period of time would have serious harmful effects in the home market

and, indirectly, in the U.S. market, for the Santander Shares. These effects could

include a significant imbalance of buy and sell orders, particularly given the large

number of shares to be distributed in the Acquisition, and thus greater volatility

and reduced liquidity. In addition, as the Derivatives Market Maker is a

significant market maker in derivatives on Santander Shares issued by Santander,

if the Derivatives Market Maker is precluded from conducting market making

activities in the derivatives or from effecting hedging transactions in Santander

Shares relating to the derivatives, the application of Regulation M could have

adverse effects on the Derivatives Market Maker's ability to manage hedge

positions maintained by it and its customers previously established in connection

with this activity. The Asset Managers and the Brokerage Units may also be

unable to execute asset-management related or unsolicited brokerage orders

submitted by their customers in the normal course, thereby forcing their

customers to take their orders elsewhere or to refrain from trading. Similarly, the

12

If any of the Companies participated in the solicitation effort, they would likely be considered

a "distribution pal1icipant" and thus would be subject to Rule lOl of Regulation M. Under

Rule 101, none of the Companies would be permitted to bid for or purchase, or attempt to

induce any person to bid for or purchase, Santander Shares during the Restricted Period,

unless one of the specified exceptions under Rule 101 were available. As the available

exceptions under Rule 101 would not permit the Companies to engage in most of the

activities for which relief is being sought in this letter, we ask that the exemption that we are

requesting apply whether these Companies are subject to Rule 101 or Rule 102.

James A. Brigagliano

16

August 18, 2008

Asset Managers and the Insurance Company have a fiduciary duty to the investors

of the Managed Funds and to the purchasers of their insurance products to oversee

the investments in a manner that is in the best interests of those purchasers.

Accordingly, the Asset Managers and the Insurance Company may not refrain

from, or engage in, trading in Santander Shares or, as the case may be,

derivatives, including listed and over-the-counter options, warrants, convertible

securities and other structured products related to Santander Shares or baskets or

indices including Santander Shares, as well as index futures on the foregoing, as a

result of investment instructions received from Santander, unless such action is in

the best interests of the purchasers of those policies. The derivatives market

making and hedging, asset management, insurance and unsolicited brokerage

activities described in this letter are also important aspects of Santander's

business as a major financial institution in Europe and, therefore, interrupting

those activities for such an extended period could also have an adverse impact on

Santander's business, including its ability to properly manage its risks.

As noted above, Santander Shares would easily qualify as actively traded

securities that are exempt under Rule 101(c)(l), with a value of average daily

trading volume for the twelve months ended December 31, 2007 and the six

months ended June 30,2008 of approximately €1,190.63 million ($1,738.68

million) and €1, 188.69 million ($1,871.95 million), respectively, and a public

float value in excess of $1 00 billion. Regulation M normally would not interfere

with market-making and other market activities in actively traded securities, such

as the Santander Shares. However, because the Companies are affiliated

purchasers of the issuer, they may not rely on the actively traded securities

exception to do what market makers and brokers for large U.S. issuers are

normally allowed to do during distributions by those issuers.

In addition, the Acquisition is being conducted in accordance with

applicable English law and trading in Santander Shares by the business units and

affiliates of Santander identified herein during the Acquisition distribution is

subject to and will be conducted in accordance with applicable Spanish law and

other applicable non-U.S. laws. As discussed in greater detail below, applicable

Spanish law provides important safeguards against the type of risk of abuse that

Regulation M was designed to prevent.

Finally, Santander believes that the risk of market manipulation by the

Companies is limited by the "Chinese Wall" procedures and fiduciary duties

described above, the fact that the market activities that are the subject of this

request for exemptive relief are the ordinary course market activities of the

Companies rather than activities commenced or managed in contemplation of the

Acquisition, and the fact that the jurisdictions in which the Companies operate

have laws which prohibit market manipulation (as further discussed below).

For the foregoing reasons, Santander asks the Staff to provide an

exemption from Regulation M that would allow the Companies to continue to

engage in marking making, derivatives market making and hedging, asset

management, insurance and unsolicited brokerage activities with respect to

James A. Brigagliano

17

August 18, 2008

Santander Shares and ADSs in the ordinary course of their respective business as

described above during the Restricted Period, as permitted under market practice

and applicable law in their home jurisdictions.

V.

The Spanish Regulatory Market

The principal regulations that apply to the Spanish Companies' market

activities under Spanish law are the Spanish Securities Market Act (the "SSMA"),

Royal Decree 1333/2005, as amended (relating to market abuse), Royal Decree

217/2008 (relating to regulations governing the activities of investment firms and

conduct on the Spanish Exchanges).)3 The SSMA established an independent

regulatory authority, the CNMV, to supervise the securities markets. The SSMA

governs, among other things, trading gractices, insider trading and disclosure. In

particular, Articles 83 ter,14 and 99(i) 5 of the SSMA prohibit market

manipulation. Under the SSMA, the CNMV oversees price formation, execution

and the settlement of transactions to ensure that insider trading, price

manipulation and other breaches of law may be detected. The CNMV has a

division which has responsibility for market supervision, monitoring compliance,

investigating violations and imposing disciplinary measures. The CNMV also

takes measures to ensure that information necessary to maintain a transparent

market is made public. This applies, in particular, to the prices and volumes of

securities traded on and off the Spanish Exchanges.

The Spanish Criminal Code provides remedies for abusing confidential

information that is likely to influence the prices of securities. Market

manipulation and dissemination of false rumors to affect the prices of listed

securities to realize a gain are prohibited. The breach of professional secrecy,

insider trading and price manipulation in Spain are criminal offenses. In

particular, Article 284 of the Spanish Criminal Code establishes criminal liability

for employment of any mechanism with the intent to alter prices that would

otherwise result from a free market for, among other things, securities.

Jl

European anti-market abuse legislation is found principally in EU Directive 2003/6/CE,

which has been incorporated into Spanish law in the SSMA and in Royal Decree 133312005.

14

Article 83 ter provides:

Any person or entity acting or otherwise related to the securities markets shall refrain from

engaging in activities that may falsify the free development of prices in the securities markets.

15

Article 99 provides:

The following acts or omissions constitute extremely serious infringements by the individuals

and institutions referred to in Article 95 hereof [including brokers, market makers and their

respective officers]:

(i) breach of Article 83 tel' if such breach has a material adverse effect on the price [of the

relevant security]. If the effect on the price is not material, this would still constitute a serious

infringement, in accordance with Article 100.

James A. Brigagliano

18

August 18, 2008

Under Spanish law, Santander and its subsidiaries are prohibited from

purchasing Santander Shares unless the purchase of Santander Shares is generally

authorized at a meeting of shareholders of Santander, and Santander creates

reserves equal to the acquisition price of any Santander Shares that are actually

purchased. In addition, the total number of Santander Shares held by Santander

and its subsidiaries may not exceed 5% of the total capital stock of Santander.

Spanish law requires that the CNMV be notified each time Santander and its

subsidiaries acquire, on an aggregate basis, 1% of the outstanding capital stock of

Santander (without deducting any sales of Santander Shares which may have been

made during that time period). In addition, the Bank of Spain requires Santander

to provide monthly reports of the number of Santander Shares held by Santander

and its subsidiaries, the number of Santander Shares held for hedging purposes

and the number of Santander Shares held by third parties whose purchase was

either financed by or pledged to Santander or any of its subsidiaries.

Pursuant to Spanish regulations relating to conduct in the securities

markets, the Spanish Brokerage Units must keep records of orders received from

any third party regarding Santander Shares and any other security as well as the

execution of such order. The Spanish Brokerage Units also must keep records

relating to transactions in which they are acting as principals. The information

contained in such records must include identification of the client, the number,

type and price of securities bought or sold and the market on which the

transaction is eifected. These records must be made available to the CNMV upon

request. In addition, the Market Making Subsidiary, the Derivative Market

Maker, the Spanish Asset Managers and the Insurance Company must also

maintain records relating to the transactions in which they engage, including the

number, type and price of securities bought or sold.

The jurisdictions in which the Companies other than the Spanish

Companies operate generally have anti-market manipulation, insider trading and

record-keeping laws and regulations similar to those governing market activities

in Spain.

VI.

Relief Requested

As discussed above, Santander is seeking exemptive relief from Rules 101

and 102 of Regulation M to permit the Market Maker, the Derivatives Market

Maker, the Asset Managers, the Insurance Company and the Non-U.S. Brokerage

Units to continue to engage in the market making, derivatives market making and

hedging, asset management, insurance and unsolicited brokerage activities

described in this letter during the Restricted Period. The Market Maker, the

Derivatives Market Maker, the Asset Managers, the Insurance Company and the

Non-U.S. Brokerage Units would conduct these activities in the ordinary course

of their business and in accordance with a;pplicable law, all as described in this

letter. Santander also asks for relief to permit the U.S. Brokerage Units, Banco

Santander International and the Puerto Rico Asset Manager to engage in their

respective activities in the normal course of business and in accordance with

applicable local law, as described in this letter.

James A. Brigagliano

19

August 18,2008

As a condition to the relief being requested, Santander would undertake to

include disclosure in the proxy statement/offering document that will be

distributed to A&L shareholders. The disclosure would be substantially similar to

the following:

Since the announcement of the Acquisition, Santander, through

certain identifiable business units, and celtain of its affiliates have

engaged and intend to continue to engage in various dealing and brokerage

activities involving Santander Shares outside the United States. Among

other things, Santander, through an affiliate, has made a market, from time

to time, and intends to continue to make a market, from time to time, in

the Santander Shares by purchasing and selling Santander Shares for its

own account in Spain on the Spanish Exchanges.

Certain mutual fund management companies, pension fund

management companies, asset management companies and insurance

companies that are affiliates of Santander have purchased and sold, and

intend to continue to purchase and sell, Santander Shares and derivatives,

as pmt of their ordinary investing activities and/or as part of the

investment selections made by their clients. Santander, through its

derivatives business units, has also engaged, and intends to continue to

engage, in dealings in Santander Shares and derivatives for their accounts

and for the accounts of their respective customers for the purpose of

market making of derivatives or of hedging their respective positions

established in connection with certain derivatives activities (such as

options, warrants, futures and other instruments, including stock options

issued by Santander) relating to Santander Shares entered into by

Santander and its affiliates and their respective customers. Santander,

through its brokerage business units, has also engaged, and intends to

continue to engage, in unsolicited brokerage transactions in Santander

Shares with Santander's customers. These activities occurred and are

expected to continue to occur through the AQS, on the Spanish

Exchanges, the stock exchanges of Milan, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, London

and Mexico and in the over-the-counter market in Spain or elsewhere

outside the United States.

Santander's affiliates in the United States also have engaged and

may continue to engage in unsolicited brokerage and asset management

transactions in Santander Shares and Santander ADSs in the United States.

In addition, Santander's affiliates in Puerto Rico have engaged and may

continue to engage in unsolicited brokerage transactions in Santander

Shares and Santander ADSs in Puerto Rico and may purchase Santander

Shares and Santander ADSs in connection with asset management

activities in Puerto Rico. Santander is not obliged to make a market in .

Santander Shares and any such market making may be discontinued at any

time. All of these activities could have the effect of preventing or

retarding a decline in the market price of the Santander Shares.

James A. Brigagliano

20

August 18, 2008

Santander has sought and received from the SEC certain exemptive

relief from Regulation M in order to permit its identifiable business units

and affiliates to engage in the foregoing activities during the Restricted

Period.

As a further condition to the relief being requested, Santander and each of

the Companies will undertake to keep records (the "Records") of the date and

time when any Santander Shares are purchased or sold, the market in which the

purchase or sale is effected, the amount of Santander Shares purchased or sold

and the price of the purchase or sale, for each purchase or sale of Santander

Shares made during the Restricted Period. This information will not include any

client-specific data, the disclosure of which is restricted under local law.

Santander will maintain Records for a period of two years following the

completion of the Acquisition. Upon the written request of the Director of the

Division of Trading and Markets of the SEC, Santander will make a copy of the

relevant Records available at the SEC's offices in Washington, D.C.

We note that Santander is seeking similar exemptive relief from the

Takeover Panel in the United Kingdom relating to the market activities of the

Companies described in Section II of this letter. Furthermore, in order to comply

with the regulations under the Takeover Code under the laws of the United

Kingdom, Santander is publicly disclosing, and will continue until the end of the

Restricted Period (and potentially longer in the event of a competing offer for

A&L) to publicly disclose, the amount of Santander Shares and certain Santander

Share Derivatives purchased or sold by the Companies (other than any such

Santander Shares or Santander Share Derivatives purchased or sold pursuant to

unsolicited brokerage transactions) and the price of such purchase or sale during

the Restricted Period by 12:00 p.m. (London time) on the business day following

each such purchase or sale, as well as the resulting amount of Santander Shares

held by the Companies (on a consolidated basis).

In connection with the relief requested by Santander in this letter, please

note that substantially similar exemptive relief from Rule 101 and Rule 102 of

Regulation M was granted to Santander with respect to market making,

derivatives hedging, asset management, insurance and unsolicited brokerage

activities under your exemptive letter dated September 10, 2004 and to Banco

Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. under your exemptive letter dated June 25, 2007,

substantially similar exemptive relief from Rule 101 and Rule 102 of Regulation

M was granted to Allianz AG with respect to market making, derivatives market

making and hedging and unsolicited brokerage activities under your exemptive

letter dated April 10,2003 and similar exemptive relief from Rule 102 of

Regulation M was granted to Santander with respect to derivatives market making

and hedging, asset management, insurance and unsolicited brokerage activities

relating to shares of the Royal ,Bank of Scotland under yow exemptive letter dated

July 23, 2007.

James A. Brigagliano

21

August 18, 2008

* * * * *

If you have any questions about this request, please do not hesitate to

contact me (212-450-4950). We appreciate your assistance in this matter.

Nicholas A. Kronfeld

Copy to:

Mr. Jose Manuel de Araluce

Banco Santander, S.A.

Ciudad Grupo Santander

28660 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid)

Kingdom of Spain