I THINK the government needs to look again at how it arrives at fair pension rates.

The basic state pension discriminates on age by introducing a significant difference in payment levels.

The rates in April 2016 are £155.65 for a man born on or after April 6, 1951, compared to £118.84 (£115.95 with 2.5 per cent rise) per week for a man born before that date, 31 per cent higher or £1,914 per year.

Many men born before April 6, 1951, will have left school at age 15 and worked until retiring at 65 and in less favourable working conditions than for later workers. The current retirement age is 65 years for men.

Age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 and there is a general rule that those who provide a public function such as the DWP should not discriminate on the basis of age. However, there are statutory exceptions within the Act in which the Equality Act 2010 would not apply.

Schedule 22 states that where there is an enactment relating to age, there is no contravention of the Act.

In order to correct this situation Parliament needs to review how to closer match the pension rates over time. The appalling case for women has been discussed already in Parliament and MPs should now discuss the case for men.

Colin Clarke, The Crescent, Stamford Bridge