HC Deb 28 January 2002 vol 379 cc47-8W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many men and women over the age of retirement are in employment; what allowances there are for men and women over the age of 60 looking to (a) remain in and (b) return to work; and what plans he has to raise the retirement ages of men and women. [29843]

Mr. McCartney

Employers are responsible for setting the retirement age of their employees. They often use the age at which the State pension becomes payable, or base the decision around their occupational pension scheme. State pension age will be equalised at 65 for both men and women from 6 April 2020. Women's state pension age will be increased gradually from 60 to 65 between the years 2010 and 2020.

The Department for Work and Pensions does encourage employers, through the Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, and the Age Positive campaign, to value the contribution of older workers and to adopt flexible approaches to retirement which benefit both them and their employees.