1. ITEM 4 - PROPOSALS OF THE TASK FORCE TO UPDATE THE TUS GUIDELINES
Luis del Barrio
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

2. THE TASK FORCE Established by the WG in June 2005 10 Member States
Met four times
TF met four times:
One in 2005 (November)
Another time in 2006 (March)
Twice in 2007 (June and November)
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

3. PROPOSALS BASED ON: Answers to the consultation
Report of the TF on Core Social Variables
Setting up of the harmonized database
TF discussions
Goal of the TF on Core Social Variables: propose a limited number of core statistical variables for their systematic introduction in all EU social surveys.
The basic working principles of the TF have been
to arrive to a common basis acceptable for all the countries
to facilitate and simplify future developments of the harmonized database
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

4. PROPOSALS. MAIN CHANGES IN:
Household and individual variables
Location/transport mode
With whom column
Coding of journeys
Questions on children/partner (open point)
Activity coding list (point 5 of the agenda)
Weekly schedule of working time (point 6 of the agenda)
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

5. PROPOSALS. SMALL CHANGES IN:
Postponement of diary days
Questions at the end of the diary
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

6. PROPOSALS. NO CHANGES IN:
Number of diary days
Treatment of peculiar days
Population coverage (clarification in annex 4)
Diary forms: number of versions, ten minutes slot, main and secondary column
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

7. HOUSEHOLD AND INDIVIDUAL VARIABLES
New variables
Deleted variables
Modified variables
General TF agreement except status (core/voluntary) of ILO unemployment questions
Knowing that the TUS is a voluntary exercise, special efforts should be made to provide core variables
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

8. COMMENTS ON NEW VARIABLES?
Table 1 (page 3 of the document)
Seven new variables
3 of them proposed by the TF on CSV. CORE
-Region of residence
Degree of urbanisation
Country of birth
3 results from TUS TF discussions. CORE
-Internet connection
-Number of weekly hours usually worked
-Net monthly individual income
1 from the consultation. VOLUNTARY: Car or motorbike driving licence.
Distinction between variables requested and how to get them: income and hours
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

9. COMMENTS ON DELETED HH VARIABLES?
Table 2. First part (page 4 of the document)
6 variables to be deleted in the HH questionnaire, which imply a total of 39 questions
H7: 1
H8: 2
H9g: 1
H9h: 1
H17: 1
H20: 33
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

10. COMMENTS ON DELETED IND VARIABLES?
Table 2. Second part (page 4 of the document)
11 variables in the IND questionnaire which imply 89 questions:
Voluntary work (I33): 42 questions
Give help and services to others (I34 and I35): 34 questions
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

11. COMMENTS ON MODIFIED HH VARIABLES?
Table 3. First part (page 5 of the document)
7 modified variables in the HH questionnaire:
2 apply recommendations of the TF on CSV
5 result from the discussions of the TUS TF
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

12. COMMENTS ON MODIFIED IND VARIABLES?
Table 3. Second part (pages 5 and 6 of the document)
5 modified variables in the IND questionnaire. All apply recommendations of the TF on CSV.
Special discussion of highest level of education
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

13. HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION OR TRAINING (CORE)
I 29 Which is the highest level of education or training you have successfully completed?
- No formal education or below ISCED 1 (01)
- ISCED 1 – Primary education (11)
- ISCED 2- Lower secondary education (21)
- ISCED 3 – Upper secondary education (30)
- Of which ISCED 3c short (shorter than 2 years) (22)
- ISCED 4 – Post secondary education but not tertiary (40)
- ISCED 5 – Tertiary education, first stage (50)
- ISCED 6 - Tertiary education, second stage (60)
(TUS core. Code 22 core, if important in the country)
If the one digit coding is applied, level ISCED 3c (shorter than 2 years) should be distinguished to allow comparisons with the simplest LFS education categories: "Low", "Medium" and "High". This distinction is strongly recommended in countries where that code is important.
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

14. HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION OR TRAINING (VOLUNTARY AND RECOMM.)
I 29 Which is the highest level of education or training you have successfully completed?
- No formal education or below ISCED (01)
- ISCED 1 – Primary education (11)
- ISCED 2- Lower secondary education (21)
- ISCED 3 c (shorter than 2 years) (22)
- ISCED 3 c (2 years or more) (31)
- ISCED 3 a, b (32)
- ISCED 3 (2 years or more without distinction a, b or c possible) (39)
- ISCED 4 a, b (41)
- ISCED 4 c (42)
- ISCED 4 (without distinction a, b or c possible) (43)
- ISCED 5 a (51)
- ISCED 5 b (52)
- ISCED (60)
(TUS voluntary and recommended)
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

15. COMMENTS ILO UNEMPLOYMENT QUESTIONS?
Status (Core/Voluntary) of questions on ILO unemployment?
Looked for a job (last 4 weeks)?
Methods used
Availability to start a job (next 2 weeks)
There are two main reasons to be core:
unemployment estimation should be in line with the labour force survey
continuity with the past (HETUS 2000: mandatory)
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

16. OTHER ASPECTS OF THE HH AND IND QUESTIONNAIRES
Application of
new NACE rev.2
new ISCO-08 (point 9 of the agenda)
Proposal for the new household and individual questionnaires in annex 2
ISCO-08 rule: if there is no national common reference year for all statistical domains, it is advisable to apply ISCO-08 not earlier than in the LFS or EU-SILC
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

17. LOCATION/TRANSPORT MODE (I)
New column in the diary
Simplify the codification
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

18. LOCATION/TRANSPORT MODE (II)
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: One code for all public transports
PRIVATE TRANSPORT: Travelling by lorry, van or tractor included with the other private transport
UNSPECIFIED: Merge the unspecified private and public transport in one “unspecified” code
LOCATION:
Merge home and second home
New code “Shopping centres, markets, other shops”
COMMENTS?
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

19. WITH WHOM COLUMN More detailed codification: Alone
Other household members:
Partner
Parent
Child/Brother or sister
Other household members
Other persons that you know
Comments?
Current answers are not very useful:
Alone
Children up to 9 living in the HH
Other HH members
Other persons that you know
PROPOSAL:
Delete “Children up to 9 years old living in the HH”
Add three new codes: partner, parent, Child/Brother or sister
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

20. CODING OF JOURNEYS (I)
Several countries requested a simplification of the definition
But comparability kept as much as possible
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

21. CODING OF JOURNEYS (II)
Current HETUS definition based on concept of turning point.
UK: next stop
DE: turning point, except if no clear turning point (next stop)
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

22. CODING OF JOURNEYS (III)
UK and DE practices were tested by EE, SE and IT
UK practice implies a major change:
travel related to work: decrease
travel related to childcare: increase
DE is quite close to current HETUS (all examples except 4: same codification). No big impact in figures.
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

23. CODING OF JOURNEYS (IV)
Example 4:
936 Travel related to shopping and services
952 Travel related to entertainment and culture
942 Travel related to informal help
938 Transporting a child
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

24. CODING OF JOURNEYS. PROPOSAL
Apply DE practice
Comments?
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

25. POSTPONEMENT OF DIARY DAYS
Extent postponement up to three weeks (instead of two)
Soften requirement when not all members of the households are available the same designated day. Allow up to three weeks.
Comments?
The rationale for the first recommendation: increase respond rate
The rationale for the second recommendation is the fact that individuals are the basis of nearly all tabulations and analysis. Household data is only marginally used.
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

26. QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE DIARY
Change:
“Were you at home or somewhere else at the start/end of the diary day“ By
“What time did you start/end the activity you were doing at the beginning/end of this diary?”
Eliminate censorship
Status of new questions: voluntary
Proposal for a new adult diary in annex 3
Comments?
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

27. PROPOSALS. NO CHANGES IN:
Number of diary days
Treatment of peculiar days
Population coverage (clarification in annex 4)
Diary forms: number of versions, ten minutes slot, main and secondary column
Comments?
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008

28. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Eurostat/F2/TUS/03/08
Working group "Time use survey" 9-10 April 2008