To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will (a) carry out an age audit of its staff to establish an age profile of its work force, (b) negotiate an age management policy with trade unions and employees to eliminate age discrimination and retain older workers, (c) identify and support training needs and offer older staff flexible working to downshift towards retirement and (d) extend to over-50s the right to request to work flexibly and the right to training with paid time off; and if he will make a statement. (96493)

The information is as follows.

(i) Defra maintains an age profile of its work force.

(ii) The Department has reviewed its policies and will continue to review new policies to ensure they meet the requirements of the age legislation. The trade unions have been involved in this process and will continue to be involved.

(iii) and (iv) All employees regardless of age have responsibility for regularly reviewing their training needs with their managers. Attendance at training courses for work purposes is always paid.

All employees can request flexible working either for downshifting to retirement or for any other reason. Line managers have responsibility to ensure all such requests are fully considered and where flexible working is not agreed, to support their decision with robust and objective justification. This is in line with the “Delivering a Diverse Civil Service” initiative.