HC Deb 25 July 1990 vol 177 c275W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer on 9 July,Official Report, columns 97–98, what comparable information he has on the attitudes of women without dependent children and men.

Mr. Forth

The 1984 British social attitudes survey asked all those in paid work (of at least 10 hours per week) to give their main reason for working.

The results for women without dependent children were as follows:

Per cent.
Need for basic essentials 47
Enjoy working 12
To earn money of my own 12
To follow my career 10
To earn money to buy extras 9
Working is the normal thing to do 4
For the company of other people 3
For a change from my children or housework 1
Other reasons 2
The results for all men were:
Need money for basic essentials 71
Working is the normal thing to do 9
Enjoy working 7
To follow my career 5
To earn money of my own 4
To earn money to buy extras 2
For the company of other people 0
For a change from my children or housework 0
Other reasons 1

(Percentages total less than 100 per cent. due to rounding)