Mr. Robert AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what training opportunities are available to those over 50 years of age who find themselves out of work.
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§ Mr. McLoughlinAll the Government's employment and training measures are open to those over 50 years of age who satisfy the relevant entry conditions, including length of unemployment where appropriate.
Mr. Robert AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps she is taking to maintain employment prospects for those over 50 years of age.
§ Mr. McLoughlinWe are keen to improve employment prospects for people of all ages and believe that discrimination on the grounds of age is wasteful and shortsighted. We are encouraging employers to abandon arbitrary age limits in recruitment and to adopt personnel policies which treat everyone on their merits. Employers should be making more effective use of the skills and experience of people over 50. I am confident that the advisory group on older workers, whose membership I shall announce shortly, will help change employers' attitudes towards this age group.