LONDON (AFX) - UK housing starts rose 3 pct on a seasonally adjusted basis in the three months to August when compared with the previous three months, while total completions in the same period were down 2 pct, according to figures released by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). Housing starts totalled 45,300 in the latest three months while completions numbered 39,600. Housing starts in August stood at 15,200, compared with 15,500 a year ago, while completions fell to 12,700 from 13,300 in August 2000, according to provisional estimates.