Age discrimination legislation better late than never

1.41.58pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Oct 2003

Commenting on the deadline today (Monday) on the Department of Trade and Industry's public consultation on age discrimination legislation, MEP for the West Midlands Liz Lynne said:

"The government have cheekily tried claiming the credit for introducing legislation to outlaw age discrimination, when if it had been up to them age discrimination would not have been part of the European Union directive on which this current consultation is based. It was only due to pressure by the European Liberal Democrats and others that ensured it stayed in the Employment Directive. Indeed, they have delayed introducing this directive into UK law for as long as possible.

"This is yet another EU initiative that stands to improve many people's lives in the West Midlands. Age discrimination has lead to many people being laid off before they are ready to retire and unable to find work. In the future, employers will have to have far better reasons for not employing people than simply their age and will not be allowed to put age limits in their advertisements. Whatever we are led to believe however, this will not cover pension age. This quite rightly should be left up to member states to decide.

"So it is welcome that the government are finally taking it seriously. Now that the consultation is over, I hope they will announce their final proposals as quickly as possible so that businesses and other employers can have as much time as possible to begin making changes well ahead of the 2006 deadline."

Liz Lynne was the Liberal Democrat Shadow Rapporteur on the European Employment Directive 2000.

Age anti-discrimination legislation is being introduced as a direct result of the European Employment Directive 2000. Under this directive, discrimination in the employment field on the grounds of a person's disability, age, religion or sexual or must be outlawed in all EU countries. The deadline for introducing this directive into UK law is December 2003. However, EU countries may request a further extension of 3 years to introduce legislation outlawing discrimination on the grounds of disability and age.

The UK government requested a delay of 12 months to introduce legislation to outlaw disability discrimination, and 3 years to outlaw age discrimination.