/ EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EUROSTAT
Directorate F: Social Statistics and Information Society
Unit F-2: Labour market statistics /

Doc.: Eurostat /F2/TUS/13/07/DRAFT

Task Force

Time Use Surveys – Update of the TUS Methodology

Minutesof the meeting: 19-20November 2007

19-20 November 2007
Room D4/707
BECH Building
Luxembourg

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DOC D1/TUS/18/05Exchange of best practices and planning of the next wave of TUS

Task Force on Time-Use Surveys Methodology

Luxembourg, 19-20November 2007

Minutes

1.Adoption of the agenda(Eurostat/F2/TUS/05/07)

Eurostat proposed to discuss item 3.1 after item 5. The change was accepted and the agenda adopted.

2.Adoption of the minutes of the previous meeting,6-7June 2007(Eurostat/F2TUS/04/07)

The draft minutes, which included the remarks from Iiris and Victor, were approved.

The table on the TUS national plans will be updated and presented to the next meeting of the Working Group in April.

To a question from Klas, it was clarified that the minutes are not confidential documents. They can be distributed to third parties as long as it is indicated that they only reflect the opinion of the Task Force.

3.1Household and individual questionnaire. List of variables and list of essential variables(Eurostat/F2/TUS/06/07)

The household and the individual questionnaire wererevised to clarify some pending questions and to decide on the final status (Core/Voluntary) of the variables. The final status was given taking into account the experience gained with the setting up of the database.

Decisions taken:

  1. Question H9c. Household has a video recorder: DVD will also be included in the question. New question: Household has a DVD or a video recorder?
  2. Question H9j. Household has a telephone of any kind: Keep as voluntary.
  3. Question H9n. Number of cars or vans for private use. Business cars should be included if the are also for private use.
  4. Questions related to the satellite accounts on household production (H10, H11, H12, H13 and H15) will be kept as voluntary.
  5. Question H20f. Receive and pay for help with care of adults. Keep as voluntary.
  6. Question I1. Time start filling in the questionnaire: Delete
  7. Question I12. Number of weekly hours usually worked: It should refer to all jobs. It will be placed after question on having more than one job.
  8. Question I15 to I18 Net monthly individual income: There will be only one question asking the net monthly income from all jobs. It will be placed after question on having more than one job.
  9. Questions I24 to I26. Questions on the ILO unemployment estimation (looking for a job; method used and availability): Keep them as voluntary and ask the Working Group for a final decision.
  10. Question I27 Self declared labour status: Drop the distinction between Full time/Part time.
  11. Question I32. Highest level of education completed. Ask to the Eurostat LFS colleagues about the quality of the detailed classification. Their comments will be presented to the TUS Working Group for a final decision.
  12. Car and driving licence: Only one voluntary question on this subject. It will be placed after the question on highest level of completed education. Filter: everybody 18 years old or more.
  13. Questions of the database on the characteristics of the partner (IND28. Marital status; IND 29. Cohabiting; IND30. Age; IND31. Highest level of education; IND32. Self declared labour status; IND33. Status in employment; IND34. Full-time/part-time job and IND36. Number of weekly hours in all jobs) as well as sex of the partner should be considered core variables.

The current definition of the life-cycle variable was presented for information to the delegates. To a request from Maria Clelia on a new definition, Klas answered that the current variable is the result of a compromise.

4.Codification of the new column on location(Eurostat/F2/TUS/11/07)

The document prepared by Klas and Iiris presented two optionsfor the coding of the new column on location/mode of transport.

The TF was in favour of the detailed one (option B) with the splitting of the mixed code 10+19 Outdoors, shop and other in two: 10 Unspecified locationand 19 Outdoors, shop and other.The new provisional codification is shown in the table below.

The question on Location/Transport mode could be: Where were you? (If travelling please specify the mode of transport). The answers will be open but a list with the main options should be printed out to guide the responders.

As the estimation of code 19 is relatively high, Maria Clelia proposed a further subdivision of this item into "Other outdoors" and "Other indoors". Before any decision is taken, it was decided to analyse the detailed estimations of ES, IT and UK. Víctor provided the detailed Spanish estimation but it is of little use as the main item under the category Other is the result of answers such as: "outdoors". Maria Clelia will send the Italian estimations and Eurostat will ask UK for their detailed figures.

In relation to the codification of the "With whom" column, the task force decided to keep the provisionalagreement of the previous meeting changing Son/daughter by Child:

Alone

Other household members:

Partner

Parent

Child /Brother or sister

Others household members

Other persons that you know

5.Activity coding list(Eurostat/F2/TUS/10/07)

The task force discussed the document prepared by Iiris and completed by Johanna. As in the case of the Location/transport mode the proposal consisted of one "Less detailed"alternative (with 76 codes) and a "More detailed" one (with 110 codes). Both were a simplification of the current coding list and based on the comments received from Member States during the consultation on the application of the HETUS guidelines.

The task force was in favour of the "More detailed" alternative with the following changes:

  • 111-122. Working time in main and second job: to avoid the underestimation of the working time, travel at work will be included in this code.Accordingly code 911-912. Travel as part of/during job will be deleted.
  • 324. Various arrangements: change the title to the more meaningful: Arranging household goods and materials.
  • 36. Shopping and servicesand7. Hobbies and games: A new proposal will be prepared by Jonathan and Iiris to take into account the use of the computer and the internet. Klas will send a document on this subject prepared for the 2003 IATUR conference. The diary should contain hints reminding the responders to indicate whether they have carry out the activity usinga computer or the internet.
  • 391. Help to an adult family member. Based on the childcare codes, Víctor will send a proposal to further subdivide this item.
  • 431. Meetings and 432. Religious activities: Religious activities will be placed before Meetings. The TUS working group will be asked whether to combine these two items.
  • 519. Other social life: Socializing in pubs and cafeterias will have a new code. Code 510. Unspecified social lifewill be merged with the rest of current code 519.
  • 615. Gymnastics and 616. Fitness will be merged.
  • 8. Mass media: The less detailed alternative was preferred. Title of code 810, 819. Other and unspecified reading will be changed to just Unspecified reading.
  • 938. Transporting a child: change the title to: Travel related to childcare.
  • The same coding list will be recommended for the secondary activity

In the annex is attached the new recommended classification,subject to the changes which will be proposed by Victor, Iiris and Jonathan.

At the next TUS Working Group meeting, countries will be reminded of the importance of applying the HETUS coding list or a national coding list which allows a conversion to the HETUS one without problems.

3.1Question on children/partner living outside the household(Eurostat/F2/TUS/12/07)

Clelia presented a document dealing with the problem of children and partners living outside the household. To allow a better analysis of this problem she made four proposals and two suggestions:

Proposals

  • To add a column in the household grid on the presence/temporary absence of each household member during the survey.
  • To add two questions on children living outside the household in the individual questionnaire.
  • To distinguish between married people living with the partner and married people not living with the partner and collect the information about the reason for not cohabiting.
  • To collect the information about the habit of leaving one’s own home and of spending part of the week in another accommodation.

Suggestions

  • Clearly define the meaning of household, referring to the definition of momentarily absent components in particular.
  • Clearly define the concepts of principal residence, bearing in mind some household situations as children of divorced parents.

The members of the TF agreed that the rules defining a household and the main dwelling are not clear enough and in some borderline cases they could be interpreted in quite different ways. It was agreed that the HETUS guidelines on this issue should be improved and clarified. To this aim, Eurostat will contact the TF on Core Social Variables.

6Coding of journeys(Eurostat/F2/TUS/07/07)

As agreed at the last TF meeting, Estonia, Sweden and Italy presented an estimation of the impact in the figures if a change to the UK practice is decided. The main conclusions are that travel to/from work will decrease, and travel in connection with household work and with childcare will increase.

The DE practice was also discussed.

Although the UKcoding is easier to implement, most of the members of the task force were in favour of the German approach, which, in fact, follows the same principle as the HETUS one: the "HETUS turning point" is the German "Main goal connected with the journey". The only difference is detected when thereis not a clear turning point. In this case the DE practice applies the "UKnext stop" principle while the HETUS guidelines still require defining a turning point. The members agreed to change to the most practical DE approach.

7Weekly schedule of working hours(Eurostat/F2/TUS/08/07 and Eurostat/F2/TUS/09/07)

Jonathan and Víctor commented the UK and ES instruments. Even if they use 15 minutes intervals instead of the 10 minutes intervals of the diary, they work quite well in the surveys and give a great deal of information which allows, for instance, the calibration of the LFS estimation on working time as well as detail information on working time patterns. The final conclusion of the TF was to recommend the inclusion in the guidelines of a simple version that can be printed in a single page together with the instructions and examples. TheSpanish instrument could be used as a model; the additional questions on whether the working week is usual or unusual will be voluntary. It was also agreed to present this instrument to the LFS delegates for comments.

9.Other busines

The next meeting of the Working Group will take place on 9-10 April 2008, in room Quetelet of the Eurostat premises. During this meeting, the new guidelines will be presented. Eurostat will explain the different steps followed after the previous meeting. Iiris, Klas and Jonathan kindly accepted to present one document each. Iiris, the new activity coding list; Klas, the TUS database, and Jonathan, the weekly schedule of working hours.

Action points

  • TUS national plans: Eurostat will ask information to all countries to update the table. A new table will be presented at the WG meeting.
  • Questions on ILO unemployment: The TUS WG will be asked for a final decision on the status of these questions.
  • Highest level of education completed: Eurostat will check the quality of the detailed classification. The TUS WG will be asked for a final decision.
  • Codification of Location/Transport mode: Clelia will send a detailed estimation of the item "Others". Eurostat will ask the same information to the UK.
  • Activity coding list.
  • Use of computers and the internet: Klas will send a document on this subject written for the 2003 IATUR conference and Iiris and Jonathan will prepare a new proposal for codes 36. Shopping and services and7. Hobbies and games.
  • Help to an adult family member: Víctor will make a proposal to further subdivide this item (code 391).
  • Household definition and main dwelling:Eurostat will contact the TF on CSV to ask for more details.
  • Weekly schedule of working hours:This instrument will be presented to the LFS delegates for comments.
  • TUS Working Group meeting: Eurostat will detail the steps followed since the previous WG meeting. Iiris will explain the new activity coding list. Klas will make a demonstration of the TUS database and Jonathan will present the weekly schedule instrument.

Annex

  • Provisional activity coding list
  • Draft agenda
  • List of participants

Provisional activity coding list

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TF_20071119_TUS_13_07_DRAFT_Minutes_20071119

/ EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EUROSTAT
Directorate F: Social Statistics and Information Society
Unit F-2: Labour market statistics /

Doc.: Eurostat/F2/TUS/05/07

Item 1 - DRAFT AGENDA

TASK FORCE “UPDATE OF THE TIME USE SURVEYS METHODOLOGY”
Luxembourg, 19-20 November 2007
BECH Building
Room D4/707 - starting at 9.30 am

All documents will be available on CIRCA:

1. / Adoption of the agenda
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/05/07]
2. / Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 6-7 June 2007
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/04/07]
3. / Household and individual questionnaire
3.1 / Question on children/partner living outside the household
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/12/07]
[Proposal by Ms. Clelia Romano]
3.2 / List of variables and list of essential variables
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/06/07]
4. / Codification of the new column on location
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/11/07]
[Proposal by Iiris Niemi and Klas Rydenstam]
5. / Activity coding list
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/10/07]
[Proposal by Iiris Niemi and Johanna Giczi]
6. / Coding of journeys
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/07/07]
7. / Weekly schedule of working hours
[Eurostat/F2/TUS/08/07 and Eurostat/F2/TUS/09/07]
[Proposals by Jonathan Gershuny and Víctor Casero]
8. / Conclusion
9. / Other Business

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Eurostat F2 / Update of Time Use Surveys Methodology Task Force of 19-20November 2007 / page 1

Country

/ Name / Position/
Department /

Institute

/

Address

/ E-mail / Tel / Fax
Denmark
Excused / Mr BONKE Jens / Senior Researcher, Ph.D. (econ) / Rockwool Foundation Research Unit
c/o Statistics Denmark / Sejroegade 11
DK-2100 Copenhagen / / +45 39173837
+45 39173832 / +45 39205219
Estonia / Mrs.KASKUrve / Head of Social Statistics Department / Statistics Estonia / 15 Endla Street
EE-15 174 Tallinn / / +372 (6) 259 220 / +372 (6) 259 370
France / Ms ROY Delphine / Division "Conditions de Vie des Ménages" / INSEE – F340 / / +33 1 41 17 68 47 / +33 1
Finland / Ms.NIEMIIiris / Senior researcher, social statistics / Statistics Finland / FIN-00022 Statistics / / +358 (9) 1734 32 33 / +358 (9) 1734 32 64
Hungary
Excused / Ms.GICZIJohanna / Living Standard and Labour Statistics Department / Hungarian Central Statistical Office / Keleti Karoly u. 5-7
HU-1024 Budapest / / +36(1)345 6643
Italy / Ms.ROMANOMaria Clelia / Head of Time Use Unit / ISTAT - Istituto Nazionale di Statistica / Via Adolfo Ravà, 150
I-00142 Roma / / +39 (6) 5952 4479 / +39 (6) 5952 4596
Netherlands / Ms KAMPHUIS Carlijn / Scientific Researcher / Netherlands Institute for Social Research / P.O. Box 16164
NL-2500 BD Den Haag / / +31 (70) 3405563 / +31 (70) 3407044
Spain / Mr.CASEROVictor / Subdirección General de Estadísticas y Análisis Sociales / INE - Instituto Nacional de Estadistica / Paseo de la Castellana 183
E-28046 Madrid / / +34 (91) 583 4634 / +34 (91) 583 7726
Sweden / Mr.RYDENSTAMKlas / Population and welfare statistics / Statistics Sweden / Box 24 300
S-104 51 Stockholm / / +46 (8) 5069 5035 / +46 (8) 5069 4934
United Kingdom / Prof.GERSHUNYJonathan / University of Oxford / Department of Sociology
Manor Road
Oxford OX1 3UQ / / +44(0)1869 286175 / +44(0)1869 286171
Eurostat / Mr RECKTENWALD Joachim / Head of "Labour Market Statistics" Unit / European Commission - Eurostat / BECH D3/733
L-2920 Luxembourg-Kirchberg / / +352 4301 34103 / +352 4301 33649
Eurostat / Mr DEL BARRIO, Luis / "Labour Market Statistics" Unit / European Commission – Eurostat / BECH D3/703
L-2920 Luxembourg-Kirchberg / / +352 4301 35065 / +352 4301 33649

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