Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jan 2003
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2003 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: Becky Barrow

PROSTITUTES AND DRUGS INCLUDED ON FAMILIES' BUDGET LIST

Prostitution and illegal drugs have been included for the first time in the 
Office for National Statistics' annual report into the amount that British 
households spend each week.

Under European rules, the ONS was obliged to spread its research into areas 
not traditionally explored by statisticians. Prostitutes are included under 
"other professional fees" falling into the same category as accountancy 
fees, bodyguards and marriage guidance counsellors.

Of the 7,473 households that were interviewed, just 46 admitted spending 
money on "other professional fees including court fines". It is not known 
how many people entered the money spent on prostitutes into the diaries 
they are obliged to keep for two weeks by the ONS to record what they are 
spending.

It is likely that the numbers may be higher than the ONS figures record 
given the way in which the research is conducted. With a reward of just 
UKP10 for adults and a UKP1 booklet of postage stamps for taking part, 
there is little incentive to persuade the participants to be totally honest 
on all matters of household expenditure.

Children, who are paid only UKP5 for taking part in the survey, may not 
dare to chronicle the full details of their "narcotics expenditure", 
particularly if their parents ask to look at their submission.

On average, households spend UKP11.40 each week on alcohol, tobacco and 
narcotics, but the amount spent on illegal drugs is seen as statistically 
insignificant. A figure is deemed to be unreliable if fewer than 10 
households responded.

The findings are published today in the ONS's new Expenditure and Food 
Survey, changed for the first time to fit in with European guidelines. In a 
sign of political correctness it has changed the person in the household 
who is interviewed.

Before this year's survey, it interviewed the "head of household" who was 
always the husband. In this survey, it interviewed the "household reference 
person" who is typically the person who owns or rents the property.

The average British household spent UKP398 each week, with transport 
representing the largest cost at UKP57.70 each week, during the tax year 
2001/2002. The second biggest expense is recreation and culture at UKP54 
followed by food and non-alcoholic drinks at UKP41.70.

Under the ONS classification system, transport includes things such as 
buying a new car, motorcycle, rail season ticket or aeroplane ticket.

The richest people, classified as a household earning UKP56,400 or more 
each year, spend UKP885 each week, while the poorest households, with an 
income of less than UKP6,000 each year, spend UKP127.

The amount spent on food varies hugely - the poorest households spend 
UKP21.80 each week on food and non-alcoholic drinks, while the richest 
spend UKP63.20.
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MAP posted-by: Beth