Age Discrimination (Hansard, 13 June 2003)

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination. [109455]

§ Mr. Stephen Twigg
Tackling the issue of age discrimination is an important part of the Departments approach to equality of opportunity, both in the way it delivers its policies and as regards its own staff.
Our lifelong learning policies, which seek to encourage and enable adults to learn, improve their skills and enrich their lives are central to tackling the issues of age discrimination.
For its own staff, my Department will comply with new legislation when it comes into force in 2006. In the meantime, action has continued to be taken to tackle negative attitudes towards older staff through training on valuing diversity and through the monitoring of recruitment, selection and appraisal processes. Recommendations in the Performance and Innovation Unit Report Winning the Generation Game have been implemented and, since 1999, all staff outside the Senior Civil Service can choose when they retire between age 60–65, subject to normal fitness and efficiency rules. In addition, all our vacancy opportunities, internal and external secondments and rewards are open to people of all ages.

§ Miss McIntosh
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Departments policy on age discrimination. [115402]

§ Mr. Charles Clarke
My Department has integrated age into all its equal opportunities policies and is committed to eliminating unfair discrimination on the basis of age.
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It enthusiastically applies the Governments core principles on involving children and young people to ensure that our policies and services respond to the needs and aspirations of our younger customers. For example, it has just hosted a third consultation day for young people. Over 300 young people have had the opportunity to comment directly on the policies and services that affect them, and they are at the heart of the creative process of designing ways to communicate directly with my Department.
Action has continued to be taken to tackle any negative attitudes towards older staff through training on valuing diversity and through the monitoring of recruitment, selection and appraisal processes. Recommendations in the Performance and Innovation Unit Report Winning the Generation Game have been implemented and, since 1999, all staff outside the Senior Civil Service can choose when they retire between age 60–65, subject to normal fitness and efficiency rules. In addition, all our vacancy opportunities, internal and external secondments and rewards are open to people of all ages. My Department is currently considering the age issues in the European Employment Directive 2000/78/EC with a view to complying with the new legislation on age discrimination when it comes into force in 2006.