Household Statistics (Hansard, 11 November 1997)

§ Mr. Leigh
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage of families with dependent children which are(a) married couples, (b) cohabiting couples and (c) lone parent by each type. [14453]

§ Mrs. Liddell
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Edward Leigh, dated 11 November 1997: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to your recent question about the marital status of adults with dependent children. This information, taken from the 1996 General Household Survey, is contained in the following table:

Family type and marital status

Families with dependent children Great Britain 1996

Per cent.¹

Married couple 70

Cohabiting couple 8

Lone mother 20

single 7

widowed 1

divorced 6

separated 5

Lone father 2

All lone families 21

Base 2,975

¹Because of rounding some sub-totals differ from the sum of their parts.

507W

§ Mr. Leigh
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage of households headed by a person who is (i) married, (ii) cohabiting, (iii) single, (iv) widowed, (v) divorced, (vi) separated and (vii) cohabiting with someone of the same sex. [14452]

§ Mrs. Liddell
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Edward Leigh, dated 11 November 1997: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to your recent question on the marital status of heads of households. This information, taken from the 1996 General Household Survey, is contained in the following table:

Marital status of head of household

Great Britain 1996

Per cent.

Married 54

Cohabiting 6

Single 13

Widowed 15

Divorced 8

Separated 3

Same sex cohabiting ¹—

Base 9,158

¹Estimated at 0.1 per cent.

Family type and marital status
Families with dependent children	Great Britain 1996
	Per cent.¹
Married couple	70
Cohabiting couple	8
Lone mother	20
single	7
widowed	1
divorced	6
separated	5
Lone father	2
All lone families	21
Base	2,975
¹Because of rounding some sub-totals differ from the sum of their parts.

Marital status of head of household
Great Britain 1996
	Per cent.
Married	54
Cohabiting	6
Single	13
Widowed	15
Divorced	8
Separated	3
Same sex cohabiting	¹—
Base	9,158
¹Estimated at 0.1 per cent.