The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 14 June 2007:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of (a) children under three, (b) children under five, (c) children under 10 and (d) children under 14 years were being brought up by (i) two parents who were both unemployed, (ii) two parents with one in full time employment and one not in paid employment, (iii) two parents with both in full-time work, (iv) two parents with both in part-time work and (v) two parents with one in full-time work and one in part-time work in each year for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (141689)
A table showing the information requested is attached. The figures in the table are estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the three months ending in June of 1997, 1999 and 2001-2006. Comparable information for 1998 and 2000 is not available.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
April-June 1997 Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 324 511 1,006 1,530 18.1 17.1 16.7 18.4 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 598 1,064 2,351 3,315 33.5 35.7 39.1 39.9 Both parents employed part-time 10 22 49 75 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 631 1,017 1,828 2,305 35.3 34.1 30.4 27.8 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 55 89 203 280 3.1 3.0 3.4 3.4 Both parents unemployed 10 18 40 52 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 Both parents economically inactive 63 115 258 390 3.5 3.9 4.3 4.7 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 95 149 275 356 5.3 5.0 4.6 4.3 Total 1,786 2,984 6,011 8,305 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 316 511 1,032 1,593 18.1 17.8 17.7 19.6 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 610 1,053 2,360 3,360 34.9 36.7 40.6 41.4 Both parents employed part-time 11 19 44 63 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.8 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 619 975 1,731 2,183 35.3 33.9 29.8 26.9 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 61 101 203 291 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.6 Both parents unemployed 7 15 30 41 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 Both parents economically inactive 64 107 230 356 3.7 3.7 4.0 4.4 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 62 93 185 236 3.5 3.2 3.2 2.9 Total 1,751 2,874 5,815 8,123 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 303 489 1,042 1,620 18.3 17.5 18.3 20.1 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 604 1,063 2,337 3,364 36.6 38.1 41.1 41.7 Both parents employed part-time 11 21 46 64 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 567 944 1,700 2,157 34.3 33.9 29.9 26.8 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 49 88 176 258 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2 Both parents unemployed 5 8 17 21 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Both parents economically inactive 62 105 242 398 3.7 3.8 4.2 4.9 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 50 71 126 174 3.1 2.5 2.2 2.2 Total 1,652 2,789 5,686 8,058 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 267 433 964 1,537 16.8 16.1 17.5 19.6 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 551 995 2,223 3,231 34.7 37.0 40.3 41.2 Both parents employed part-time 14 25 53 76 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 576 937 1,669 2,151 36.2 34.8 30.3 27.4 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 55 92 183 255 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.3 Both parents unemployed 7 10 23 28 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 Both parents economically inactive 74 126 270 402 4.7 4.7 4.9 5.1 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 43 71 124 156 2.7 2.7 2.2 2.0 Total 1,589 2,692 5,512 7,841 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 264 432 950 1,533 16.8 16.1 17.4 19.8 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 547 989 2,182 3,172 34.6 36.9 40.1 40.9 Both parents employed part-time 13 20 42 68 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.9 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 594 970 1,710 2,182 37.7 36.2 31.4 28.1 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 52 88 197 282 3.3 3.3 3.6 3.6 Both parents unemployed 6 10 18 20 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 Both parents economically inactive 64 115 241 361 4.0 4.3 4.4 4.7 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 37 54 103 134 2.4 2.0 1.9 1.7 Total 1,577 2,679 5,445 7,757 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 287 467 972 1,525 17.6 17.3 17.9 19.8 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 568 964 2,187 3,175 34.8 35.7 40.2 41.1 Both parents employed part-time 17 26 55 75 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.0 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 589 951 1,651 2,135 36.1 35.2 30.4 27.7 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 55 93 198 279 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.6 Both parents unemployed 4 7 16 22 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Both parents economically inactive 71 123 239 357 4.4 4.6 4.4 4.6 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 39 65 116 148 2.4 2.4 2.1 1.9 Total 1,631 2,698 5,436 7,720 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 320 479 1,008 1,592 19.3 18.0 18.8 20.8 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 599 988 2,140 3,085 36.2 37.1 39.8 40.3 Both parents employed part-time 19 28 55 79 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.0 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 555 906 1,607 2,100 33.6 34.0 29.9 27.4 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 51 87 192 265 3.1 3.3 3.6 3.5 Both parents unemployed 5 8 13 16 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 Both parents economically inactive 60 102 234 366 3.6 3.8 4.4 4.8 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 43 66 122 149 2.6 2.5 2.3 1.9 Total 1,652 2,664 5,372 7,653 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Thousand Percentage Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Under 3 Under 5 Under 10 Under 14 Both parents employed full-time 328 492 982 1,516 20.0 18.1 18.2 20.0 One parent employed full-time and the other part-time 591 1,018 2,168 3,067 36.0 37.5 40.2 40.5 Both parents employed part-time 17 26 56 82 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 One parent employed full-time and the other not in employment 543 905 1,614 2,093 33.0 33.3 30.0 27.6 One parent employed part-time and the other not in employment 56 88 187 268 3.4 3.2 3.5 3.5 Both parents unemployed 5 8 15 21 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Both parents economically inactive 67 109 242 362 4.0 4.0 4.5 4.8 One parent unemployed and the other economically inactive 38 69 121 160 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.1 Total 1,644 2,716 5,386 7,573 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 1 Estimates have been adjusted for children with parents who have unknown economic activity status. 2 Comparable figures for April-June and 2000 are not available. Source: Labour Force Survey