Britain: An official handbook > 1993

BRITAIN 1993: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
vegetables and fruit, while home consumption
per person of mutton and lamb, beef and
veal, bread, potatoes, eggs, milk, butter,
sugar, tea and some other foods has fallen.
However, another feature has been an
increase in the number of meals eaten away
from home, either at work or in restaurants,
and a growth in the consumption of food
from ‘take-away’ and ‘fast-food’ shops. In
addition, the proportion of convenience foods
eaten has grown as women who work outside
the home and single people living alone have
less time or inclination to prepare meals.
Average mineral and nutrient intakes are
generally above the daily amounts
recommended by the Department of Health.
There has been a steady fall in fat intakes,
and a small increase in the intake of fibre.
There is some evidence that health
considerations influence food consumption.
The Government encourages the widest
availability of wholesome food, while giving
high priority to consumer safety.
The Food Safety Act 1990 covers all of
Great Britain. It
• strengthens the enforcement of existing
law;
• gives powers for immediate closure of
food premises when the public health is
at risk;
• extends controls throughout the food
chain;
• enables detailed legislation to be
introduced to keep pace with new
technology; and
• increases the penalties for food safety
offences.
There has been little change in alcohol
consumption in recent years. Beer, lager (now
estimated to account for over half of beer
sales) and cider are the most popular drinks
among male drinkers whose overall
consumption is significantly higher than that
of women. The largest consumers of alcohol
are those aged 18 to 24, with consumption
generally declining with age. Consumption of
light (table) wine has grown, although there
has been little change in the consumption of
higher strength wines such as sherry and
port. The pattern of spirits consumption has
also been changing, with a decline in whisky
and gin, and higher consumption of some
other spirits.
A high proportion of beer is drunk in
public houses (‘pubs’), a traditional social
centre for many people, and in clubs. The
Licensing Act 1988 relaxed restrictions on the
opening hours of public houses, but this has
not resulted in a significant increase in
consumption. There are signs that they are
becoming more popular with families: more
meals are being served and the consumption
of non-alcoholic drinks is increasing.
The Workforce
In recent years the economic activity rate (the
proportion in work or looking for work) has
been increasing, although there was a slight
fall in 1991. Of those aged 16 and over, 75
per cent of men and 53 per cent of women
were economically active. The rate is higher
for married women (59 per cent) than for
non-married women (44 per cent). While
employment in Great Britain rose by 7 per
cent between 1984 and 1991, there was a
much larger increase—27 per cent—in the
number of self-employed.
The educational standards of adults have
risen. Over 70 per cent of the workforce has
a qualification, compared with 54 per cent in
1981. Some 17 per cent of those in
employment are graduates, including over
one-quarter of those with managerial or
professional jobs.
Income and Wealth
Earnings from employment are the main
source of income for most people; in 1990
wages and salaries accounted for 59 per cent
of household income.
The distribution of pre-tax income has
remained relatively stable over a long period,
the lower 50 per cent of income earners
accounting for some 22 to 24 per cent of pre¬
tax income since 1949. The combined effect
of the tax system and the receipt of benefits
is to redistribute incomes on a more equal
basis.
Wealth is less evenly distributed, with the
richest 1 per cent of the population aged 18
or over owning 18 per cent of marketable
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