The
Chairman: Order. I am sorry to interrupt, but as the
Committee knows, we are bound by the knives agreed last week, and we
finish at 5 pm, so this will probably have to be the last
question.
Q
231John
Howell: In that case, let me move on to another issue,
which we have heard a lot about—the default retirement age.
Where are we going to end up with that in your
view? Vera
Baird: The sequence is that we have
agreed it should be reviewed in 2011 if nothing else happens before,
but on 16 and 17 July, I think, the administrative court will hear a
case brought by Heyday, which is the trading arm of Age Concern. It has
been to Europe, which said that a default retirement age can be
justified for reasons A and B—technical reasons—and the
question for the administrative court now to decide is whether the
British Government can climb over those hurdles and show that the age
is justified. If the court says that it is not, we will have to look
again at the whole question of what follows from that, because the
default retirement age will in effect go with that judgment. If, on the
other hand, the court says that it is justified, then presumably it
will hold on, with diminishing importance I would have thought, until
2011 when we finally review it and decide what to do. Much depends on
the outcome of that case.
The
Chairman: Very quickly, Sharon—the last
question?
Q
232Mrs.
Sharon Hodgson (Gateshead, East and Washington, West)
(Lab): Yes, please, thank you for letting me ask one,
Mr. Benton. I have a couple of quick questions on pregnancy
discrimination—it will probably have to be my only question. The
National Union of Teachers is concerned about clause 16(7) and the use
of the word “reasonable”, which we keep seeing in a lot
of legislation at the moment. The NUT feels that employers could defend
discrimination against pregnant women on the ground that complying with
anti-discrimination measures is inconvenient or
costly. Vera
Baird: Do not worry. We have tabled an
amendment today to take “reasonably” out, as we have
accepted the arguments that have come forward. We wanted to put a
standard in there and we thought that “reasonable” would
do it, but we have accepted the argument that it is bad and not
good.
Q
233Mrs.
Hodgson: The YWCA is concerned about clause 79 with regard
to education for pregnant girls in school. Evidence shows that a
significant proportion of them are treated less favourably in
school.
Vera
Baird: I will write to
you—
The
Chairman: Order. On behalf of the Committee, I thank you,
Minister, and your colleagues, for your evidence.
Ordered,
That further consideration be now adjourned. —(Lyn
Brown.) 5
pm Adjourned
till Thursday 11 June at Nine
o’clock.
| 
