HARMAN PLEDGES GOVERNMENT
TO BANISH AGEISM
Monday 11th January
2010
HARMAN PLEDGES
GOVERNMENT TO BANISH AGEISM
Discrimination against older people is
a serious problem that must be tackled at the highest
levels, Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality
said today.
The increase in the number of well, older
people demands a change in public policy. We must recognise
the emergence of the “wellderly” and the role that well, elderly
people play in their families, in the economy and in society.
The idea that someone is “past it” when they
reach 65, denying people insurance cover simply because of their
age, and endemic ageism towards women in the media are all outdated
attitudes that need to be consigned to history, the Minister told
an Age Concern / Help The Aged conference in central London.
Speaking at the Age UK event, Harriet Harman
said:
“We still have to challenge the
old-fashioned notion that defines you through your importance to
the world of work, and that when you no longer work sees you as
‘past it’. We still have more to do to tackle the attitude that
once you reach 60 you are just treading water until you become
frail and dependent.
“This is important not just for those
individuals concerned but for the economy as a whole. We have
to banish the ageism in the workplace that costs an estimated to
cost the economy up to £31 billion per year due to lost
GDP.
“Ageism against older women in the media
is also serious problem. While the broadcast media finds
it possible to value the older man as having experience and wisdom
they don’t seem to be able to value the older woman in the same
way.
“Older people are the last remaining group
that society deems it acceptable to discriminate against. This is a
problem that we are determined to tackle at the higest level, which
is why our Equality Bill reinforces this Government’s commitment to
ending age discrimination wherever it arises.”
The Equality Bill, which enters committee
stage in the House of Lords today, will strengthen the law when it
comes to older people and those who look after them by:
- Providing new legal protection from discrimination to those at
work because they are caring for an older member of their
family;
- By placing a legal obligation on public bodies, such as
planning authorities, to protect and promote the needs of
older people when planning their services;
- And by banning age discrimination in the provision of
goods and services so that older people are not unfairly
disadvantaged in things such as travel insurance and loans.
MEDIA
To attend the event or obtain a copy
of the speech please contact the Government Equalities Office press
office on 020 7276 0932 (Out of hours: 07500 816 959).
NOTES FOR EDITORS
- The Government Equalities
Office is responsible for the Government’s overall
strategy, legislation, and priorities on equality issues. The
Office also has direct responsibility for policy on gender
equality, sexual orientation, and for integrating work on race. The
Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Government
Equalities Office (GEO) in July 2007 and it became a Department in
its own right in October 2007. It works to Ministers Harriet
Harman, Maria Eagle, Vera Baird and Michael Foster.
- The ban on age
discrimination will not affect cases where services
benefit older people, for example allowing an insurance company to
only offer travel insurance to the over-50s, or the Government’s
successful and popular policy of providing free bus passes to
people aged 60 and above.