Orders of the Day — Age Discrimination

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:31 pm on 23 May 1995.

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Photo of Malcolm Wicks Malcolm Wicks , Croydon North West 10:31, 23 May 1995

I agree with the Minister and my hon. Friend—he is my friend—the Member for Croydon, South, (Mr. Ottaway) but I disagree with her about legislation. Inevitably, the state has an interest; despite the Minister's campaign, economic activity rates, especially among male older workers, are in decline. If, because of so-called downsizing, people are retiring or being made redundant—there is a fine balance between the two—in their early 50s, they may be retired people for a third of their lives. That in turn has major implications for state expenditure.

Perhaps the Minister should therefore think again about the implications for legislation.