Transactions dropped in the latter part of last year, the Land Registry has reported.

It says that between August and November – the last period for which statistics are available – there was an average of 78,652 transactions per month across England and Wales.

In the same period in 2014 the figure was 81,656.

In November itself there were 72,167 transactions, down 2% from the 73,282 transactions registered in November 2014.

In London, there was a 7% annual drop in transactions – down from 8,837 in November 2014 to 8,194 in the same month last year.

Interestingly, despite the Stamp Duty changes reportedly hitting the top end of the market, sales of properties costing above £1m were actually up.

There was a 19% rise to 380 properties sold over £1m; a 4% drop from 135 to 129 of properties between £1.5m and £2m; and a rise of £2m-plus properties sold from 147 to 148.

Reporting for January, the Land Registry says that average house prices across England and Wales stood at £191,812, up 7.1% on the year.

In London, the average price was £530,409.

Meanwhile, a new paper on the state of the housing market has been placed in the House of Commons.

Its purpose is to brief MPs.

The paper quotes figures on house prices – using ONS data and not Land Registry – plus Bank of England figures on mortgages and house building statistics.