HL Deb 15 March 1995 vol 562 cc845-7

2.44 p.m.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many paid public appointments or reappointments of persons aged over 70, and of persons aged over 75, have been made since the publication of the Cadbury Report; and how many of those were women.

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, the details requested by my noble friend are not held centrally. But, from the information available from individual departments, we know that at least 134 people aged over 70, and eight aged over 75, have been appointed or reappointed to paid positions on public bodies since January 1993. Of those, 21 were women, two aged over 75 and 19 aged between 70 and 75.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. I am pleased to note that the Government are not adopting an ageist policy. Is she aware of the British industry Third Age Initiative to improve re-employment opportunities for workers from the age of 50? Does she know that older people below pensionable age who are made redundant often find themselves rejected simply on the basis of the age shown on their application form? With the recent statement that more public appointments will be advertised, can my noble friend confirm that people made redundant will be considered with all others applying for such posts?

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, I am aware of the initiative about which my noble friend asks. I believe, however, that her question is slightly wide of that on the Order Paper, as it deals with appointments in the commercial field rather than public appointments. However, I can tell my noble friend that the Department of Employment is in close contact with two related organisations—the Re-Action Trust and Third Age Challenge. With regard to the last part of her question, I think it is true to say that people are free to nominate themselves, or others can nominate them. The individuals are carefully appraised against key criteria. There is no reason why someone who has been made redundant at the age she mentioned could not be considered for a public appointment.

Lord Gainford

My Lords, does my noble friend have any information as to whether there is any possibility of Britain following the example of Canada and the United States of America where it is illegal for an employer to ask the age of any applicant for a job?

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, there are no such plans. In fact, research has shown that in countries which have introduced such legislation it has been ineffective. We shall carry on encouraging employers to take advantage of the business benefits from employing everyone with the appropriate skills, whatever their age.

Baroness Gould of Potternewton

My Lords, does the Minister accept that while there has been some welcome improvement in the number of women of all ages on public bodies, overall that improvement is not reflected in the number of chairs? For instance, in the Department of Employment there are no women chairs—and those are the paid posts. Is she aware that the six male chairs in the Department of Employment—

Noble Lords

Oh!

Baroness Gould of Potternewton

—received a total of £184,000? Can the Minister indicate whether the Government have any proposals or have set any targets to rectify that position by using the nominating process?

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, I must say to the noble Baroness that I have no knowledge of male chairs at all. However, I share her concern about appointments for women and I think I have a very good story to tell, On a purely personal basis, in 1987, when I was chairman of The 300 Group, the group, together with the Fawcett Society, launched the Women into Public Life Campaign in order to try to make sure that more women were appointed to public bodies. At that time only 17 per cent. of all public appointments were held by women. There were various other initiatives—from the EOC and the Hansard Commission—on women getting to the top. As a result, by 1990 23 per cent. of all public appointments were held by women. That percentage stayed the same through 1991 when my right honourable friend the Prime Minister launched Opportunity 2000, urging departments to look at women with the necessary skills and to make the appropriate appointments. I am delighted to tell the House that by 1992 26 per cent. of all public appointments were held by women. By 1993 the figure was 28 per cent.; by 1994, it was 30 per cent. Perhaps even more encouraging is that today nearly half of all the new appointments are women. As regards the specific question about male chairs, I shall look into that.

Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone

My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that a chair is an article of furniture?

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, I can confirm that. As far as I am concerned, I have never been unhappy to be called "Chairman".

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, the Minister is correct to inform your Lordships' House that there is no reason why people who have been made redundant should not serve on quangos. I have in mind, of course, that almost all the Conservative Members of Parliament who were made redundant at the last general election have been placed on quangos.

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, I am not sure whether that was a question or a statement from the noble Lord. I have no comment to make.

Baroness Platt of Writtle

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend on the picture she has given of the number of women who have been appointed. Does she agree that some people switch off at 50 years of age but that others, well over 70, are lively and bright?

Noble Lords

Hear, hear!

Baroness Platt of Writtle

Does my noble friend agree that if those older people have the relevant experience—perhaps in local authority work or on health authorities—they can be most useful, particularly in terms of appointments which deal with the needs of the elderly?

Baroness Miller of Hendon

My Lords, I totally agree with my noble friend.