HC Deb 24 May 2004 vol 421 cc1442-3W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what(a) initiatives, (b) campaigns and (c) advisory bodies relating to older people her Department (i) is responsible and (ii) has provided funding since 2001; and what the cost in each year was for each one. [166243]

Ms Hewitt

As part of our commitment to protecting the rights of all consumers, employees and employers, the Department of Trade and Industry is responsible for numerous activities that have particular relevance for older people. Examples include: introducing legislation under the European Employment Directive that will outlaw age discrimination in employment and vocational training from October 2006; the Age Advisory Group, set up in 2001, and Taskforce, set up in 2004, have been advising the Government on matters to do with implementation of the Directive; and establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHRs), which will provide, for the first time, institutional support for the proposed provisions on age discrimination. In its first few years of operation particular attention will need to be paid to age issues, including awareness raising among, and support for, those with rights and responsibilities under the age legislation. In addition, the CEHR will be able to act in a broad range of areas and not just those where there is specific legislative protection—for example, encouraging good practice in the provision of goods and services to help prevent unfair treatment of older people.

Further examples include funding for the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and Citizens Advice Scotland to provide support and training to the Citizens Advice Service across the UK. The service deals with in excess of 6 million cases annually, of which over 50 per cent. involve older people; and joint support with DEFRA in 2001 (500,000) for a three-year pilot programme of Warm Zones to assess the merits of a systematic local approach to client identification and assistance: the formal evaluation of this work is expected by the end of 2004.

In April 1999, DTI launched a three-year campaign specifically targeted at older people entitled "Avoiding Slips, Trips and Broken Hips" working with Help the Aged and others. This campaign ended in 2002. However, DTI provided a grant of £50,000 directly to Help the Aged to continue to deliver the existing resources, and at present materials continue to be available for free distribution.