§ 17. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures available for the number of men over 60 years of age who are in full-time employment; and if he will study the effect on unemployment of reducing the pensionable age of men to 62 and 60 years, respectively.
§ Mr. John GrantFrom the latest available figures it is estimated that, in 1977 in the United Kingdom about 1 million male employees, aged 60 and over, were working full time.
Consideration has been given to the effects on unemployment of reducing the pensionable age and I refer my hon. Friend to the article in the March 1978 issue of the Department of Employment Gazette. Government thinking on the pensionable age is set out in the discussion document "A Happier Old Age" issued in June 1978 by the Department of Health and Social Security and the Welsh Office.