IN PRAISE OF OLDER WORKERS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Jul 2003

Dr Jenny Tonge, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, has signed an Early Day Motion in Parliament, calling on the Government to recognise the contributions made by older workers to society by introducing legislation to outlaw age discrimination.

The EDM notes that many people who find themselves out of work at the age of 40 have difficulty in getting new jobs, and that age discrimination hits professional males in their fifties particularly hard.

The MP said: " I recognise that the Government has made some strides in tackling this problem. They have extended New Deal to the over-50s and tried to promote the qualities of loyalty, reliability and flexibility that this age group can bring to the work-force."

"We are now calling on the Government to go further and actually bring in legislation to outlaw age discrimination altogether. And there should be incentives to encourage employers to consider older workers for vacant posts."