§ Mr. Gerald HowarthTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the median duration of(a) a marriage and (b) a cohabiting union in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1999. [120677]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Alan Goldsmith to Mr. Gerald Howarth, dated 8 May 2000:
The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent Question on the median duration of (a) a marriage and (b) a cohabiting union in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1999. I am replying in the Director's absence.The only available estimates for marriages ending in divorce or death are as follows:
Estimated1 median duration of marriages solemnised in England and Wales in: Years 1979–80 37 1987 27 1993–94 24 1 Life table estimates derived from marriage and mortality registration records Estimates of the median duration of cohabiting unions are calculated using a different method based on the separation of the couple or the death of one of the partners. The following estimates are the only ones available.
Estimated1 median durations of cohabiting first unions in Great Britain which started in: Years 1970–79 3 1980–84 4 1985–89 3 1 Omnibus Survey (a sample survey) 2 Which ended other than in marriage