§ Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the total population of the United Kingdom as at 1 January; what percentage of the population is over 18 years of age and citizens of the United Kingdom;
(2) how many British citizens over the age of 18 years were resident in the United Kingdom on 1 January.
§ Sir George YoungThe latest available estimate for the total population of the United Kingdom was 55.9 million at 30 June 1978; of this population, 40.8 million or 73 per cent. were aged 18 years and over.
Results obtained from the 1977 labour force survey suggested that about 97 per cent. of the population aged 18 years and over were of United Kingdom nationality, a proportion which is not thought to have changed significantly between 1977 and 1979.