Police: Retirement Debate

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Department: Home Office

Police: Retirement

Baroness Howe of Idlicote Excerpts
Monday 6th December 2010

(13 years, 7 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Neville-Jones Portrait Baroness Neville-Jones
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My Lords, I am sure that the House shares the sentiments that the noble Lord has just expressed and I have no doubt that the police do too.

Baroness Howe of Idlicote Portrait Baroness Howe of Idlicote
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My Lords, where does age discrimination fit in here, if it fits in at all, either legally, if the discrimination legislation has come into force, or morally?

Baroness Neville-Jones Portrait Baroness Neville-Jones
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The regulation relates to the number of years of service that an officer accrues—that is, 30 years—and it is the only measure that the police have under the existing system for retiring people in the public interest. However, that does not necessarily correlate to anyone’s age. I do not think that it is an age discrimination matter; it is a length of service issue.