Equality Bill [Lords]

I thank my hon. Friend for that timely intervention. I am certainly grateful to my family for providing the sort of care he mentions, which enables me to do my job. I endorse the party’s policy on that issue and we should do all that we can to keep older people involved in the economy and encourage them, wherever possible, to get involved in caring for their grandchildren and other children in the family. The first regulations on age discrimination, in employment and training, come into force in October 2006 and the new commission will have an important role in enforcing equality in that area. At the moment, older people have no legal protection against ageism and no statutory body to turn to. However, the new Commission will not take up the role of supporting older people until 12 months after the new regulations are in place, if I read the documents correctly. I hope that the Minister will tell us how we can ensure the right advice and support for businesses and those affected by the legislation in the intervening period. I have said that I welcome the Bill and the support that it could give to business in a difficult and complex area, but it could do much more to support and protect older people. Now is the time to acknowledge that. As I said in my opening remarks, I want to see that not only because it is morally right, but because this country cannot afford to take any other approach. To put that in context, I remind the House that the cost of low employment among those aged 50 and over—there may even be some hon. Members in that category in the Chamber tonight—has been put at 2 per cent. of GDP. We should also note that 62 per cent. of men and 45 per cent. of women in that age group are in work—figures significantly below those for younger people. I look forward to the Minister’s response on those issues. I hope that she agrees that the Bill misses an opportunity to support older members of society. I am sure that in future the single discrimination Act, which has been much talked about today, and further regulations for protecting older people in the workplace will have a great effect, but we can start now by doing more in the Bill to support older people both in my constituency and throughout the country. We need to show that group that we take their problems seriously, too.