HC Deb 05 December 2002 vol 395 cc1003-4W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of lone parents are(a) in full-time employment, (b) in part-time employment, (c) in education, (d) on a training scheme, (e) unemployed and (f) claiming sickness benefits. [86163]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

The information requested is in the tables. As these categories are not comprehensive or exclusive there will be some lone parents counted in more than one category and some that are not included in any.

Data from the spring 2002 labour force survey Percentage of lone parents
Full time employment1 29.1
Part time employment1 24.5
In education2 12.7
On a training scheme 1.1
Unemployed 6.6

1 Full time employment is classified as work of at least 30 hours on average per week. Part time employment is classified as work of less than 30 hours on average per week.

2 The percentage of lone parents in education is taken as those lone parents enrolled in some type of formal education; this includes both part time and full time education as well as those enrolled on courses and not attending and those enrolled and not revealing their work status

Data from Family Resources Survey1 2001–02 Percentage of lone parents
Claiming sickness benefits2,3 8
Of which
Incapacity benefits 2
Sickness benefits 7
Statutory sick pay 1
1 In the FRS benefit receipt is based on self-assessment and therefore may be subject to mis-reporting.
2 "Sickness benefits" comprises all lone parents claiming at least one of the following: DLA, War disablement pension, Severe disability allowance, Disabled persons tax credit, Attendance allowance, Industrial injury disablement benefit, Disabled person's tax credit.
3 Lone parents claiming one type of sickness benefit may also be in receipt of other sickness or incapacity benefits, hence the percentage of lone parents claiming any type of sickness benefits is smaller than the sum of those claiming each type of benefit.

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