HC Deb 25 January 1955 vol 536 cc3-4
5. Mr. Jay

asked the Minister of Labour what response he has had to date from employers to the recommendations affecting the retirement age in paragraphs 50–52 and 65–67 of the First Report of the National Advisory Committee on the Employment of Older Men and Women.

Mr. Watkinson

The British Employers' Confederation and the Boards of the nationalised industries are in agreement with the principles of the Report and have said that they will give effect to them as far as is practicable. I have seen many examples of modification of age restrictions, of special efforts to provide opportunities for older persons and of the relaxation in compulsory retirement rules.

Mr. Jay

Is the Minister satisfied with the progress made so far, and is his Department vigorously pushing forward with this important job?

Mr. Watkinson

No, I am not satisfied, and I do not think that I or my Committee will be satisfied until we have made a good deal more progress, but, equally, I think that it is fair to say that we have made some slight change in the situation.

Mr. Gower

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that the Government Departments are setting a good example in this matter? Is it not a fact that in some cases they are retiring men and at the same time are asking private employers to do better than they themselves are doing?

Mr. Watkinson

I think that the Government have set a good example. The only cases where Government Departments have to retire men at an earlier age than they would wish are those which unfortunately arise out of the necessity of reducing the size of Departments.

7. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Minister of Labour whether persons employed in his Department are allowed to continue after the normal retirement age if they are able and willing to do so.

Mr. Watkinson

I assume that, by "normal retiring age," the hon. and gallant Member means the age of 60 at which a civil servant is free to retire and draw his pension. The answer is, "Yes, Sir."

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Is the Minister aware that the manager of an employment exchange who was compelled to retire on account of age signed on at the same exchange the day afterwards in the hope of finding other work? Does he call that making the best use of manpower?

Mr. Watkinson

I am quite well aware of the case which the hon. and gallant Gentleman mentions. I have said in this House before that it is unfortunately unavoidable that my Ministry has to retire a number of exchange managers at about 62, an age at which they are entitled to their pension. The reason we are doing that is that the size of my Ministry has practically halved since the war and is still contracting. If we are to give a fair chance to the younger people in the Ministry, I am afraid we must get rid of a few people.

Mr. Jay

Could not the Parliamentary Secretary partly solve this problem by not taking on younger men instead of retiring the older men?

Mr. Watkinson

We have done that. Except for cadets, we have not been recruiting for some time.