§ Mr. Dodsworthasked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of people who would have an arguable case of unfair dismissal but for the upper age limit imposed by paragraph 10(b) of schedule 1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe unfair dismissal provisions are now contained in the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978. No such estimate has been made; but the number of applications which are barred because of the upper age limit is not thought to be very great.
§ Mr. Dodsworthasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will examine the workings of paragraph 10(b) of schedule 1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974 with a view to repealing the upper age limit for unfair 515W dismissal claims; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he is satisfied with the upper age limit imposed on unfair dismissal claims under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe recent House of Lords judgment in the case of Miss Nothman v London borough of Barnet gave an authoritative interpretation of the provisions relating to the upper age limit for unfair dismissal claims. The effect of this judgment is being studied.