英國單親家庭比例高居西歐之首

Britain has a higher proportion of single parent families than any other country in Western Europe, official figures show.

官方數據顯示，英國單親家庭比例高於任何西歐其他國家。

An analysis across the EU showed that nearly one in five British families are headed by a single adult.

針對歐盟國家進行的一項調查分析顯示，將近五分之一的英國家庭由單親操持。

And while 18.4 per cent of families in this country have a solo parent, numbers come to just 12.7 per cent in Germany, 14.4 per cent in France and 10.6 per cent in the Netherlands.

在英國，單親家庭百分比爲18.4%，而德國只有12.7%的單親家庭，法國14.4%，荷蘭10.6%。

In Belgium – long considered the closest continental comparison to Britain for single parents – the share is 16.1 per cent. In Ireland, it is 18.1 per cent.

長期以來，比利時被公認爲歐洲大陸上和英國單親家庭比例最接近的國家，該國這比例爲16.1%。愛爾蘭的單親家庭比例爲18.1%。

The proportion of single parents is higher only in Eastern Europe, which have suffered a lack of state support for the family unit and high levels of social problems such as alcoholism.

單親家庭比例只在東歐國家較高。這些國家的家庭缺少國家財政扶持，加之國內酗酒等社會問題嚴重，都可能導致高單親家庭比例。

The figures, published by the EU statistics arm Eurostat, are fresh evidence of the decline of family stability in Britain.

歐盟統計局（Eurostat）發佈的數據成爲英國家庭穩定性下滑的最新證明。

Last week it emerged that 16-year-olds in this country are more likely to have a smartphone (62 per cent) than live with both parents (57 per cent).

上週得出的數據顯示，相較選擇和父母一起生活（57%），當今的16歲英國青少年更願選擇和手機爲伴（62%）。

Family researcher and author Patricia Morgan said: ‘It is deplorable that we now find ourselves in the same situation as Eastern European countries.’

家庭問題研究者兼作家帕特麗夏·摩根（Patricia Morgan）說：“可嘆的是，到頭來我們發現，我們自己和東歐國家落得同樣的處境。”

Despite children from two parent families being more likely to do well at school and have good health, the UK accounts for five of the top 20 cities in Europe for single parenting.

儘管雙親家庭的孩子可能學業更佳，更健康，但是在歐洲前20個單親家庭城市中，英國佔了5個。

According to the latest EU analysis, these include Belfast, where 34.6 per cent of families are lone parent; Liverpool has 31.5 per cent; Glasgow 31 per cent; the Inner London East zone 30.7 per cent; and Birmingham 26.9 per cent.

根據最新歐盟數據分析，英國的5個城市中，貝爾法斯特（Belfast）單親家庭比例爲34.6%，利物浦爲31.5%，格拉斯哥爲31%，倫敦東區爲30.7%，伯明翰市爲26.9%。

While divorce rates have been falling in recent years, rates of break-up among cohabiting parents remain four times higher than those for married couples.

近年來，儘管離婚率下降，但是同居父母分手率是結婚父母離婚率的4倍多。

Several judges are in favour of more legal rights for partners who live together, and Lib Dem peer Lord Marks has launched a Bill to bring in a law for cohabitees.

幾名法官支持給予同居伴侶更多合法權利，自由民族黨人馬克斯法官已經頒佈了一項針對同居者的法案。

But critics believe that giving legal status to cohabiting couples would encourage parents not to marry and lead to even more family breakdown.

但是批評者指出，給予同居伴侶更多法律地位會鼓勵未婚父母不結婚，從而導致更多家庭破碎。

In 2013, the Office for National Statistics estimated there are 1.9million lone parent families in England and Wales whose children are school age or younger. It said around a quarter of all families with dependent children are led by solo parents.

2013年，英國國家統計局（the Office for National Statistics）估計，在英格蘭和威爾士，有190萬單親家庭的孩子已到或快到上學年齡。據稱，有孩子的家庭中，約有四分之一的家庭由單親家長操持。

And one in three British couples raising children have a child from a previous relationship in their family unit, according to a report by Aviva last year.

據Aviva去年的數據顯示，有三分之一的父母帶着前夫（或前妻）的孩子。