§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what statistical sources of information are available to him regarding movements in the price of building land; how frequently they are collated; and how representative a sample they involve in each case.
§ Mr. FreesonThe principal source of information on private purchases of land in England and Wales with planning permission for housing is the Valuation Office of the Inland Revenue; this information is analysed half-yearly and covers some 60 per cent. of all private dwelling plots developed. Full details of the analysis were published in "Economic Trends" No. 244, copies of which are available in the Library. Other sources are the following: the Digest of Building Land Prices published by theEstates Gazette, collated quarterly and covering some 8 per cent. of plots developed; average valuations of new house plots published quarterly by the Nationwide Building Society; and occasional articles in the technical Press.