§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures for divorce and the figures for 1970; what are the percentage changes within the age brackets 18 to 25 years, 25 to 32 years, 32 to 39 years,550W 39 to 46 years, 46 to 53 years and 53 to 60 years.
§ Sir George YoungThe number of divorces in England and Wales in 1979 was 138,706 as compared to 58,239 in 1970, an increase of 138 per cent. The number of persons divorcing in the given age groups in 1979 as compared to 1970 is as follows:
NUMBER OF PERSONS DIVORCING Age at divorce 1970 1979 (thousands, Per cent. increase 18–24 11.3 28.2 150 25–31 37.9 86.3 128 32–38 28.3 67.9 140 39–45 18.5 43.6 136 46–52 11.7 26.8 128 53–60 6.1 15.9 160