§ 2.56 p.m.
§ Baroness PhillipsMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce legislation which would make age discrimination illegal, as is already the case with race and sex discrimination.
§ The Secretary of State for Employment (Lord Young of Graffham)My Lords, I am deeply concerned that skill and experience should not be wasted. But to seek to interfere in employers' decisions about whether, in their particular circumstances, to recruit an older or younger person, would run counter to our policy of reducing the administrative and legislative burdens on business in order to encourage the provision of jobs for people of all ages.
§ Baroness PhillipsMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord the Minister for that rather unsatisfactory Answer. Is he aware that being old is getting younger all the time, and that now men of 40 are made redundant and are then faced with advertisements which say, "no one need apply if they are over 40"? The Americans have a law of this kind. May I ask Her Majesty's Government to look again at the possibility of introducing some age discrimination legislation, particularly in relation to employment?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, I wish to assure your Lordships' House that I am becoming increasingly aware of age. Nevertheless the Government have decided that, in the interests of seeing as many jobs grow as possible, it would not be in that interest to introduce legislation that would discriminate against age.
§ Lord SomersMy Lords, is it not a little unfortunate to state any definite figure which implies that one has reached old age? Some of course do not wear as well as others. For instance, some, like myself, become slightly senile at a particularly early age; but others, such as the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, go on with their full powers to a much later age. Therefore it seems to me unfortunate to give any definite figure.
§ Lord Young of GraffhamYes, my Lords, I think we all feel that this is so much a matter of individual performance and individual ability that it should be left to individual employers and employees to decide.
§ Lord Mowbray and StourtonMy Lords, does my noble friend agree that qualifications coupled with brightness is the appropriate thing rather than no qualifications and dimness?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamYes, my Lords.