Question Time and Prison warders

 

          I am receiving a number of emails about the retirement age for prison warders.

          I sought to make it clear on Question Time that there are two possible answers to the problem of  later retirement for prison warders. The first is they may negotiate a general exemption from the  later retirement age. The government does accept that some employment like that of soldiers and police are special and justifies a lower retirement age.  The second is that within the wider public sector there might be more appropriate duties for 0lder prison warders who would find the modern prison warder role too demanding. As I made clear in the programme, I do believe strongly all these issues have to be negotiated with good will and commonsense on both sides.

3 Comments

  1. Archie Harris
    June 25, 2011

    How can it be that a man who speaks such common sense as John Redwood is not a member of the Government?

  2. Dave Tillsley
    June 25, 2011

    I agree with the comments you made on Question Time on thursday. As a Public Sector employee I would love the opportunity to work longer. The Royal Navy has an upper limit of 55, however any extension of service is very difficult at present and many fit and able servicemen, with many years of experience are facing compulsory retirement or redundancy. Surely if you are medically fit there is a case to retain those who are willing. I foresee another “black hole” as occurred following the last round of manpower cuts. I am a dedicated sailor and it pains me to see the Royal Navy being dismantled in this way.

  3. lifelogic
    June 25, 2011

    I do not accept early retirement in these areas if they just need to do other jobs – if the are to old to do a particular one – not sit at home on a fat state pension paid for by the private sector. Also what is Cameron’s mad no retirement rule about if he accepts that the elderly often cannot due certain things (as is clearly the case).

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