§ Ms PerhamTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how often since 1992 his Department has been responsible for employment advertisements that contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9500]
§ Mrs. LiddellAge is not a criteria used in recruitment advertisements except for those who join the Treasury through the European fast stream, where there is an age limit of 31. The European fast stream offers EU-related work in the British civil service which, together with specially structured training, is designed to help young British graduates in the competitions for entry into the EU institutions. The age limit of 31 for such entrants reflects a period of training in advance of an age limit of 35 imposed by the European Commission on recruitment to the European institutions. The reason for the age limit is explained in the recruitment literature.