Estimation of migration profiles in England and Wales

"Migration profiles by age have been increasingly used in the analysis of migration data, and a theoretical function has been developed by researchers at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). This paper refines the approach by applying the principles of maximum likelihood to the estimation of the coefficients for the function. This enhances the statistical basis and in particular enables [the authors] to carry out tests of similarity between different areas on the basis of the calibrated coefficients. The method is applied to 1971 Census data for the local authorities of England and Wales."