Inclusion in employment key to fairer society says MEP

6.18.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th May 2009

West Midlands LibDem MEP Liz Lynne has spoken of the need to ensure that everyone in the UK and the rest of Europe is actively included in the jobs market, during a debate on a new report in the European Parliament at its plenary session in Strasburg this week.

Liz, who is the Vice- President of the Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, told the MEPs that only by working to break barriers to employment such as discrimination and lack of resources could they, and the Government's of European countries, help individual people gain work, as well as tackling wider social problems such as poverty.

Liz highlighted the fact that, despite European legislation aimed at combating the problem many people looking for jobs are still discriminated against on the basis of age, religion or belief, sexual orientation and disability. Liz, who helped draft the Parliament's report on the Employment (Age) Regulations 2000, said that it was unacceptable that some countries, including the UK continue to discriminate against older people through the use of mandatory retirement ages.

In her speech as Shadow rapporteur for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats group on the Active Inclusion report Liz said:

"I am delighted most of my amendments to the report got through committee, particularly those on anti-discrimination.

"People are excluded from the Labour market for many reasons, but it seems to me that it is incredible that this is still happening on the grounds on disability, age, religion or sexual orientation, despite having the 2000 Employment Directive.

"The problem is that the Employment directive is not being implemented properly across many Member States. We must be vigilant in monitoring it.

"I am also pleased that amendments on mandatory retirement age were accepted. It has always seems wrong to me that when someone reaches a certain age they can be thrown on the scrap heap.

"But even if people aren't excluded from work, if they can't get to work because they can't get the access they need, then this leads to exclusion. That is why I am pleased that amendments welcoming a new comprehensive directive on anti-discrimination were accepted.

"I regret that the EPP have tabled an alternative resolution. I believe that this has been done mainly to remove any reference to a new directive on anti discrimination as I know most of them are opposed to it. It seems amazing to me that anyone would wish to deny people their basic rights at EU level just because of their age, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

"The other areas I sought to address were the blurring of economic migration with asylum seeking, and of economic migration and asylum seeking with illegal immigrations. These are all separate issues which must be dealt with differently.

"Asylum seekers for instance, I believe, should be allowed to work while waiting for their asylum application to be heard. This would take away their reliance on benefits. Also we need to do more to integrate people with mental health problems or those who abuse drugs and alcohol."

ENDS

The full text of the report on Active Inclusion can be found at:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+20090505+TOC+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

The full text of the report on anti-discrimination in access to goods and services can be found at:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&reference=P6-TA-2009-0211&language=EN&ring=A6-2009-0149