Final countdown

Could fewer people watch the 2022 World Cup final in the flesh than watched the inaugural 1930 contest? The first World Cup final, won 4-2 by Uruguay, was held in the Estadio Centario in Montevideo on 30 July 1930. The stadium officially held 93,000 people. That is more than the present Wembley stadium and 4,000 more than the capacity of the venue for this year’s final, the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. There are conflicting accounts of how many attended the 1930 final, however, with some sources saying it was full and others giving an official attendance of 68,346.

A Brexit blow?

Is it true that trade with the EU has declined since Brexit? (Goods in current prices)

                                Sept 2019        Sept 2022

Imports

From EU                     £22.7 bn     £23.9 bn

From rest of world    £18.4 bn     £29.2 bn

Exports

To EU                          £14.3 bn     £16.8 bn

To rest of world         £16.0 bn     £16.0 bn

Source: ONS

Striking on

More rail strikes are threatened. Some statistics relevant to the dispute:

£45,919 Median earnings for rail workers in 2022, according to ONS.

£33,000 Median earnings for all full-time employees in 2022.

£13.3 bn Public subsidy to rail industry in year to March 2022.

£5.8 bn Income from rail fares in year to March 2022.

39% Proportion of UK population who did not set foot on a train in year to December 2018, according to a YouGov poll.

9% Proportion of the population who made 20 or more rail journeys in same period.

8% Pay offer rejected by RMT this week.

5.7% Average increase in regular pay across whole economy in year to September.

The legacy of care

How does growing up in care affect your chances of criminal convictions?

– Among the cohort of children born in the academic year 1993/94, 52% who spent time in care had a criminal conviction by the age of 24. Among those who had not spent time in care the figure was 13%. Some 24% of males brought up in care had received an immediate custodial sentence by the age of 24. Among males who had not spent time in care the figure was 2%. The most common reason for convictions among the children who had been in care were theft (29%) and ‘summary non-motoring’ (20%).

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