HC Deb 17 June 2002 vol 387 cc130-3W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the total employment rate for women with dependent children aged(a) 0–4, (b) 5–10 and (c) 11–15 years has changed since 1989, broken down by (i) full and part-time work and (ii) women with (A) higher, (B) other and (C) no qualifications; and how the employment rate varies in each region. [61862]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 17 June 2002: The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment rates for women with dependent children. I am replying in his absence. (61862)

Table 1: Employment rates1 of women by age of youngest child2, by Standard Statistical Region3—Springs (March to May) 1989 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted
Employment rate (%)
Women aged 16–59
With youngest dependent child aged
All 0–4 5–10 11–15 16–18 Without dependent children
Spring (March to May) 1989
United Kingdom 65.9 39.6 65.0 73.1 74.9 72.8
Great Britain 66.2 39.5 65.4 73.6 75.3 73.2
England 66.9 40.0 66.5 74.2 76.3 73.9
Northern region 62.8 38.0 644 75.6 72.8 67.8
North West 64.2 42.9 65.7 72.4 73.0 70.1
Yorks and Humberside 63.3 38.3 66.7 71.3 75.0 69.2
East Midlands 68.5 44.2 68.3 77.9 67.2 75.2
West Midlands 64.4 34.6 62.4 73.4 75.4 72.3
East Anglia 70.1 44.9 68.3 82.2 70.2 76.3
Greater London 66.4 37.5 60.1 64.8 77.4 75.4
Rest of South East 70.9 39.8 71.0 78.9 82.9 78.2
South West 69.1 43.3 70.0 75.2 78.5 74.8
Wales 60.8 38.6 62.7 69.1 64.3 65.5
Scotland 62.7 35.4 56.9 71.1 70.9 70.3
Northern Ireland 53.5 41.0 52.3 52.7 63.7 58.8
Spring (March to May) 2001
United Kingdom 69.3 53.9 69.9 75.0 80.3 72.3
Great Britain 69.6 53.9 70.1 75.3 80.6 72.6
England 69.9 53.7 70.3 76.0 80.2 73.2
Northern region 64.6 47.6 69.2 71.8 79.8 66.4
North West 68.9 57.7 71.2 72.8 78.9 70.7
Yorks and Humberside 69.2 55.4 72.1 77.9 75.2 70.7
East Midlands 70.0 56.3 72.8 77.5 81.7 71.7
West Midlands 68.3 51.3 68.5 72.6 84.3 71.8
East Anglia 74.9 56.1 78.2 77.2 85.8 78.3
Greater London 64.2 43.0 58.9 67.1 67.9 71.2
Rest of South East 74.1 57.8 73.1 81.1 80.2 77.7
South West 74.3 57.7 75.5 83.3 91.1 76.4
Wales 63.3 47.7 68.6 68.4 80.4 64.7
Scotland 69.8 60.6 68.2 73.3 84.9 71.3
Northern Ireland 60.0 52.5 65.5 65.7 73.8 59.1
Change, spring 1989 to spring 20014
United Kingdom 3.4 14.3 5.0 2.0 5.4 -0.6
Great Britain 3.4 14.4 4.7 1.7 5.3 -0.5
England 3.0 13.7 3.8 1.8 3.9 -0.7
Northern region 1.8 9.6 4.8 -3.9 7.1 -1.4
North West 4.7 14.8 5.5 0.4 5.9 0.7
Yorks and Humberside 5.9 17.1 5.4 6.6 0.2 1.5
East Midlands 1.5 12.2 4.5 -0.4 14.5 -3.5
West Midlands 3.9 16.6 6.1 -0.7 8.9 -0.5
East Anglia 4.8 11.2 9.9 -5.0 15.6 1.9
Greater London -2.2 5.6 -1.2 2.3 -9.5 -4.2
Rest of South East 3.2 17.9 2.1 2.3 -2.8 -0.5
South West 5.3 14.3 5.5 8.1 12.6 1.6
Wales 2.6 9.1 5.9 -0.6 16.1 -0.8
Scotland 7.1 25.3 11.2 2.2 14.1 1.0
Northern Ireland 6.5 11.5 13.3 13.0 10.1 0.3
1Women in employment as a percentage of all women
2Children aged under 16 and those aged 16–18 in full-time education
3Estimates are given for Standard Statistical Regions (SSRs) as Government Office Regions (GORs) are not available prior to spring (March to May) 1992
4Percentage points

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey

The attached tables provide estimates of employment rates for working-age women with dependent children, for the three month periods ending May 1998 and May 2001.

These estimate are from the Labour Force Survey and are not seasonally adjusted.

Table 2: Employment rates1 of women by full-time/part-time status2 and age of youngest dependent child3; United Kingdom; springs (March to May) 1989 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted
Thousands and per cent.
Women aged 16–59
With youngest dependent child aged
All 0–4 5–10 11–15 16–18 Without dependent children
Spring (March to May) 1989
All persons (thousands) (=100%)4 16,666 3,029 2,098 1,466 474 9,598
In full-time employment (%) 38.2 12.6 19.7 30.3 37.1 51.6
In part-time employment (%) 27.6 27.0 45.2 42.6 37.8 21.1
Spring (March to May) 2001
All persons (thousands) (=100%)4 17,479 2,997 2,366 1,569 567 9,979
In full-time employment (%) 39.4 17.9 25.5 36.9 43.7 49.4
In part-time employment (%) 29.8 35.9 44.4 38.1 36.6 22.9
Change, spring 1989 to spring 20015
In full-time employment 1.2 5.4 5.8 6.6 6.7 -2.3
In pan-time employment 2.3 8.9 -0.8 -4.6 -1.2 1.8
1Women in full-time/part-time employment as a percentage of all women
2The definition of full-time/part-time is based on respondents' self-assessment
3Children aged under 16 and those aged 16–18 in full-time education
4Base for percentages includes women who did not state their full-time/part-time status
5Percentage points

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey

Table 3: Employment rates1 of women by highest qualification level and age of youngest dependent child 2; United Kingdom; springs (March to May) 1989 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted
Thousands and per cent.
Women aged 16–59
With youngest dependent child aged
All 0–4 5–10 11–15 16–18
Spring (March to May) 1998
All persons (thousands)3 16,666 3,029 2,098 1,466 474 9,598
Higher qualifications4 (%) 80.9 63.8 82.7 87.2 88.6 85.4
Other qualifications5 (%) 69.6 40.2 68.7 76.9 78.4 78.6
No qualifications (%) 55.3 26.6 54.7 66.0 65.8 60.2
Spring (March to May) 2001
All persons (thousands)3 17,479 2,997 2,366 1,569 567 9,979
Higher qualifications4 (%) 84.7 73.3 85.6 88.6 88.3 87.0
Other qualifications5 (%) 70.8 54.3 71.9 78.5 84.5 74.2
No qualifications (%) 55.3 26.6 54.7 66.0 65.8 60.2
Change, spring 1989 to spring 20016
Higher qualifications4 3.8 9.5 2.9 1.4 -0.2 1.6
Other qualifications5 1.2 14.1 3.2 1.6 6.1 -4.4
No qualifications 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1Women with each qualification level who are in employment as a percentage of all women with the relevant qualification level
2Children aged under 16 and those aged 16–18 in full-time education
3Includes women who did not state their qualifications
4Higher qualifications are those above GCE A-level or equivalent
5Other qualifications are those of GCE A-level or equivalent or lower and includes miscellaneous qualification which cannot be classified
6Percentage points

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey