§ Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning what studies he is making into the costs of urban congestion in view of its effect in determining proper priorities of regional development.
§ Mr. CroslandStudies within this field are being carried out both in the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Various land use transportation studies estimate future levels of traffic congestion costs and the benefits to be gained from transport improvements. In addition research projects into particular aspects of urban congestion have been commissioned from universities and other institutions and a general study of the costs of congestion and benefits of aggregation, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, is to be undertaken by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research.
434Wmittee giving up-to-date figures of the average total rented dwellings in the different sectors of the housing market.
§ Mr. FreesonThe following table and notes give the estimated change in this table up to May, 1969. Any further relative change since then would probably be within the limits of error of the previous estimate; and I do not think that a re-calculation taking account of changes in the past eight months would be sufficiently different to justify the expenditure of time and money involved in it.