A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
THE SAMPLE
The sample of 6,000 people was designed to represent the adult civilian population of Great Britain, that is to say, all persons over the ago of fourteen with the exception of schoolchildren over that age. The quotas allotted to different parts of the country, to the sexes, and to different occupation groups, were based on available information about these groups, and their relative numerical importance in the population.
In fact, 5895 interviews were made. The efficiency of the method of sampling used was checked by comparing the incidence of various characteristics as shown by the sample with their known incidence in the population.
The distribution of the sample with reference to different classifications
is shown below.
(1) Sex
(2) Marital Status
| Men | Women | Total | |
| % | % | % | |
| Married | 76 | 61 | 67 |
| Single | 19 | 28 | 24 |
| Widowed | 5 | 11 | 9 |
| Sample | 2477 | 3392 | 5869 |
| Marital status Unclassified | 14 | 12 | 26 |
| 2491 | 3404 | 5895 |
The proportion of women who are married is lower than the proportion of men who are married, but the number of married women exceeds the number of married men because only the civilian population is considered.
(3) Age
| Men | Women | Total | |
| % | % | % | |
| 14 – 17 years | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 18 – 40 years | 34 | 52 | 45 |
| 41 – 65 years | 15 | 11 | 13 |
| 46 – 65 years | 36 | 24 | 29 |
| Over 65 years | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Sample | 2461 | 3328 | 5789 |
| Age unclassified | 30 | 76 | 106 |
| 2491 | 3404 | 5895 |
The age distribution of the men is, of course, affected by the fact that large numbers in the middle age-groups are in the Forces and are, therefore, excluded from the sample.
(4) Region
| % | |
| Scotland | 11 |
| North | 6 |
| North West | 14 |
| North East | 9 |
| North Midlands | 7 |
| Midlands | 9 |
| Wales | 6 |
| East Anglia | 6 |
| South | 5 |
| South West | 7 |
| South East | 5 |
| London | 15 |
| Sample: | 5895 |
(5) Occupation
The proportions of workers in light munitions manufacture and other light manufacture are bracketed together, although treated as two groups in this report. This is because the quota set for munitions workers is based on confidential material.
(6) Economic Group
| Wage rate of chief earner in family | % | |
| Up to £5 | Lower | 75 |
| Over £5 to £ 10 | Middle | 20 |
| Over £10 | Upper | 5 |
| Sample: | 5842 | |
| Economic group unclassified | 53 | |
| 5895 |
(7) Education
| (Last school attended) | % |
| Elementary | 68 |
| Secondary or Technical | 27 |
| University | 3 |
| Other type | 2 |
| Sample: | 5701 |
| Education unclassified | 194 |
| 5895 |
(8) Size of Town
(9) Public statements have been made that 2,000,000 men and women not normally engaged in Industry were now mobilised for full time work, and that there are 2,500,000 married women working, Estimates made from the sample results check with those statements.
(10) Mr. Bevin has announced that 90% of unmarried women between the ages of 18 and 40 are in full time employment or in the Forces. 94% of the women in this category in the sample were working. The sample did not include women in the Forces.
(11) Mr. Bevin has also announced that 17% of those aged over 65 were working. 17% of those aged over 65 in the sample were working.