§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each NDPB or agency sponsored by his Department, whether they have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age, and that age. [59334]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 10 June 2002]: It is for individual non-departmental public bodies (NDPB's) to determine their own policies about age-limits of those they employ, in accordance with existing equal opportunities legislation and good practice guidelines, but no Home Office NDPB operates a restrictive policy on considering applicants for employment below retirement age.
Agencies are bound by the provisions of the Civil Service Management Code, section 2.1, which states
Civil Service equal opportunities policy provides that all eligible people must have equality of opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of age, disability, gender, martial status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, or (in Northern Ireland) community background".