§ 23. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans for developing flexible and equal retirement ages for men and women; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiWe have no plans for any early changes to equalise pension ages for men and women or to increase flexibility in the choice of the time of retirement. As was made clear in the White Paper "Growing Older", the Government have both in mind as long-term objectives, but constraints of cost rule out any early changes.
§ 39. Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what, in the light of the current Budget recommendations, would be the net cost in a full year of reducing the retirement age for men from 65 to 60 years on the assumption that two-thirds of the jobs vacated by men in employment retiring earlier were filled by persons on the unemployment register.
§ Mr. RossiI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby on 23 March 1982.—[Vol. 20, c. 304.]