§ Mr. Welshasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures showing the numbers of persons involved and the cost so far of producing inner area study reports.
§ Mr. FreesonThe composition of the consultants' teams on the three studies varies from time to time according to the work programme. It is estimated that they have on average involved the equivalent of about a dozen people full time per study. The costs of the studies cover research and special surveys by the consultants, and action projects of which the local authorities bear part. The payments from the Department's Votes, plus the proportionate local authority share of action projects, are expected to total some £1.4 million from the start of the studies to the end of March 1976; there will be some further expenditure incurred but not claimed within this period.