HC Deb 25 July 1988 vol 138 cc5-6W
Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Overseas Development Administration monitors the effect of United Kingdom bilateral aid on the proportion of the female population who are economically active in recipient countries.

Mr. Chris Patten

We evaluate the effects of our aid on women, but it would be impracticable to distinguish the effect of this aid from all other factors which determine the proportion of women who are economically active.

Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report showing, for all countries in Latin America, information available to him for the latest year for which figures are available on the proportions of the female population who were economically active, in ranked order and the percentage change since 1960.

Mr. Chris Patten

Following is the information:

Activity rate (1985) females (per cent.) Percentage change in female activity rate 1960–85
Jamaica 42.5 + 39
Haiti 36.2 -30
Uruguay 23.3 +19
Trinidad and Tobago 22.6 + 26
Brazil 19.9 + 77
Chile 19.7 + 39
Argentina 19.4 + 15
Panama 19.0 + 33
Venezuala 18.3 + 58
Mexico 17.9 + 96
El Salvador 16.6 + 51
Peru 15.4 + 14
Costa Rica 15.2 + 56
Bolivia 14.8 + 6
Colombia 14.3 + 21
Nicaragua 14.2 + 27
Paraguay 13.8 - 1
Ecuador 11.7 + 10
Honduras 10.3 + 30
Guatemala 8.7 + 11
Dominican Republic 8.2 + 38

Note: The activity rate is the ratio of the economically active population (all employed and unemployed persons including those seeking work for the first time) aged 10 years and over to the population of all ages.

Source: World Demographic Estimates and Projections 1950–2025, United Nations 1988