HC Deb 28 March 1950 vol 473 cc19-20W
35. Mrs. Middleton

asked the Minister of Labour whether in view of difficulty experienced by men and women over 40 years of age in securing employment in any undertaking, public or private, having a superannuation scheme, he will consult with representative employers and executives to see whether it is not possible to secure modifications in the contributions to superannuation schemes so as to allow the admission to employment of older people paying proportionately larger contributions to enable them to qualify for benefit.

Mr. Isaacs

Inquiry shows that most superannuation schemes are sufficiently flexible to permit the employment of older people. The real problem is the reluctance of employers to engage them so long as younger people can be obtained. I have repeatedly brought to the notice of industry the need to make the best use of the working population whether young or old and the representative bodies in industry are well aware of the problem. What is needed is a change in the outlook of individual employers and this takes time.