First Published in 1965. The basis of all regional planning is an adequate foundation of statistical information - facts relating to population, occupations, housing, social conditions, and communications. In recent years, there has been a perceptible trend towards more purposeful planning of industrial location, population distribution, and land use. Many schemes have been put forward, and public inquiries held into development applications, New Town designations, Green Belts, and the adjustment of local government boundaries. However, it has been the authors’ experience, that on these occasions the factual basis of information was not available. In October 1964, the West Midlands Social and Political Research Unit in the University of Birmingham was asked to produce a working paper for its region by Mr. J. C. Cadbury, who was to prepare a tentative regional plan for a conference organised by the Town and Country Planning Association in December 1964. This monograph presents an analysis before the full study was made.