Pensions Bill

I am sure we will return to this issue when we reach my amendment on annuities. Having said that, this amendment raises some interesting questions. As we have heard, those lucky enough to be born into the higher socio-economic groups or to have been to university enjoy measurable advantages, but we forget at our peril that the European Union has just passed an age discrimination law which we have adopted in this country. That should prompt us to consider exactly what restrictions, if any, should be placed on some professions. Of course one needs to be jolly careful that those who want to stay in dangerous jobs, quite apart from those who have reached a certain age, are capable of doing so. That is an important test. But that aside, not to allow the individual to have any choice is worrying and antithetical to the ideas being put forward, not least to the European age discrimination legislation. The issue of training is important. If there is to be a pension credit guarantee, the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, said that no one should miss out on their proper pension by having to retire early, no matter what is decided about the final retirement age. Having said that, there can be danger in certain jobs. For instance, if you were a surgeon and developed a shake in your hand it might be desirable that you did not operate any more. In such circumstances, presumably you would rely on your peers in the group to give you advice. Perhaps it ought to be built into the scheme that after a certain age a review should take place every two years or so. But I would hate to see the individual’s choice in these matters completely removed just because they were in a specific job. We all know that we age differently, both physically and mentally, and perhaps we have not quite thought this through. But the one thing we want to be certain about is that the Bill will not disadvantage either males or females in this respect as long as they want to work. Certainly there should be plenty of retraining available. Older people can bring a great deal of wisdom to debates. Often they have knowledge of what went on in the past which the younger generation have forgotten, even if they were ever taught it. Even if it has not yet become history, it can stop you going down paths which have been trodden often and found not to work. I am ambivalent about the amendment, but I would not want to see anything too rigid put in place.