The Lord Bishop of Coventry

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this important issue, and I thank the Economic Affairs Committee for its thorough and timely report. As we consider the prospect of a society where the people of older age vastly outnumber younger people, it is vital that we avoid framing our discussion primarily around the burden of the old to the young. We must continue to emphasise that the value of a person cannot be reduced to their fiscal contribution to the state, although I very much understand the pressures. As the report rightly notes, increased life expectancy is a welcome gift and one of the considerable achievements of modern society. I note that, when I began ordained ministry in 1997, I regularly conducted funerals for people in their 60s and 70s; decades on, they were much more frequently for people in their 80s and 90s. I wish to emphasise the way in which other cultures can teach us the value of older age from their perspective. For example, on a trip to Kenya in recent years, I was privileged to share in the birthday celebrations of an 80 year-old matriarch of a village, and I was bestowed the honour of a ceremonial feeding of the first taste of her enormous cake. I will never forget her jubilation, which was felt across the entire community present. Her life, in its longevity, intrinsic value and social contribution, was remarkable, and nobody there took that for granted. Sadly, here in the UK, we often speak of and treat older people as an inconvenience to be mitigated, rather than cherishing the wisdom and life experience they bring. As a young priest, I was trained to visit my congregation in their own homes—a practice continued throughout my parochial ministry to this day. What started as a visit for a cuppa ended with accounts of careers and achievements, such as the invention of the contact lens, expeditions to the summit of Everest, and a most memorable and gorgeous afternoon with an original character from “Call the Midwife”. Clearly, the flourishing of our civil society continues to depend on the time, generosity and commitment of older people, many of whom serve as volunteers, carers, mentors, trustees and community leaders in retirement. Without this, many organisations would struggle to survive and function. It is vital that local communities continue to have the support to provide the network of friendship and stimulation that helps older people remain connected and appropriately valued as they grow older. Examples across the country of excellent dementia cafés and bereavement and other support groups are a lifeline for many. I visited the church-run Memory Lane Café in Henley-in-Arden, where the lunch on Christmas Day is oversubscribed, with 100 people attending, who were very keen to let me know that it is a much-loved annual event. Finally, as the report explores, an ageing population requires a reframed understanding of retirement. The Church of England depends on an active workforce—as a Bishop, I am hugely grateful for their commitment. As we consider the extension of the working life, it is vital that we maintain the safeguards that protect sustainable patterns of work. That said, the challenges facing public finance, health services and social care are acute and must be addressed. I again thank the Economic Affairs Committee for its work. I urge the Government to ensure that, within this work, the value of older-aged people is not lost. As we prepare for an ageing society, we must not forget that such people are not merely recipients of care; they remain bearers of gifts, contributors to the common good and people of immeasurable worth.