§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is his latest estimate of the proportion of married women below pensionable age: (a) with dependent children, and (b) without dependent children, who are in regular employment;
(2) what is his latest estimate of the number of married women without dependent children, but below pensionable age, who do not claim wife's earned income allowance in full, or who were not in regular employment.
§ Mr. GoldingIt is estimated from the General Household Survey that in 1976 431W 30 per cent. of married women below pensionable age were in employment and had dependent children, while a further 25 per cent. were in employment and had no dependent children. The number of married women not in employment and without dependent children in 1976 is estimated to have been about 1¼ million.