At the other end of the age spectrum ...

That the debate took place in the Lords may not be coincidental. But it is consoling to know that, while the party leaders are scrapping over childcare, some people in high places are considering the other end of the age spectrum. And it was especially consoling to hear Lord Peston, among others, chiding the Government with "living in the past" and demanding a whole new approach to the phenomenon of our ageing population. Society at large, he said, had failed to adjust to increased life-expectancy and tended to regard it as a bad thing.

That the debate took place in the Lords may not be coincidental. But it is consoling to know that, while the party leaders are scrapping over childcare, some people in high places are considering the other end of the age spectrum. And it was especially consoling to hear Lord Peston, among others, chiding the Government with "living in the past" and demanding a whole new approach to the phenomenon of our ageing population. Society at large, he said, had failed to adjust to increased life-expectancy and tended to regard it as a bad thing.

He is all too right. Age discrimination is widespread. Arrangements for retirement and pensions are disgracefully inflexible and often condescending to boot. The attitude still prevails that elderly people - and the not so elderly - are a homogenous group that constitutes a growing liability to taxpayers, rather than a potential asset.

That people are living longer is a tribute to higher living standards. The majority enjoy good health until the last months of their lives; they want to stay active and make a contribution. They should be encouraged to do so. Good for the Lords (and Ladies). Perhaps they have a role, after all.