To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of (a) men aged 65 years and (b) women (i) aged over 60 years and (ii) over 65 years were (A) employed and (B) unemployed in each of the last 10 years. (140445)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated 4 June 2007:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what percentage of (a) men aged 65 years were (i) employed and (ii) unemployed and (b) women (i) aged over 60 years and (ii) over 65 years were (A) employed and (B) unemployed in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (140445)

The attached table gives the numbers and rates for men aged 65 and over, women aged 60 and over, and women aged 65 and over who were in employment or unemployed. It covers the 3 months ending December each year for 1997-2006 (estimates for 1998 and 2000 are not available). The data are not seasonally adjusted.

Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.