Written question asked by Andrew Selous (Conservative), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 September 2004. It was answered by Chris Pond (Labour) on Monday, 13 September 2004 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason all reference to marriage has been omitted from the Family and Child Study data; and if he will reinstate the previous format. (Printed in Bound Volume on 07.09.2004 at c1121W)

Answer: Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason all reference to marriage has been omitted from the Family and Child Study data; and if he will reinstate the previous format. [187251] Mr. Pond: The Families and Children Study (FACS) collects data from a sample of British families with dependent children on an annual basis. The questionnaire covers topics such as demographics, health, child outcomes, work, family income, material well-being and child support, among others. FACS also continues to collect data on the marital status of the study's members. However, for reasons of limited space, the most recent FACS annual report did not include a separate analysis of marital status. Instead, the focus was on lone parent/couple status, a key determinant of benefit entitlement. It is anticipated that future reports based on FACS data will provide analyses by marital status.

Secondary information