Candy Atherton: Discrimination exists in employment and commerce

Speaking at a news conference in the House of Commons, Ms Atherton said old people were charged more for services such as travel, insurance and car hire.

They were also often turned down for voluntary work as well as paid jobs.

The commission she proposes would complement planned government legislation barring any form of discrimination and has been welcomed by the Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt.

The problem was brought home to her during the foot-and-mouth crisis, the Falmouth & Camborne MP said, when vets over 70 who volunteered to help deal with the disaster were rejected by the old Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

When ministers later intervened, their help was eventually accepted but she found it "breathtaking that vets were excluded in the first place on the grounds of age".

Because the bill has government backing, it is likely to pass the Common. But Ms Atherton said it still faced a threat from the Conservative MP for Bromley & Chislehurst, Eric Forth, whom she said was likely to lead opposition to the measure.

"I would urge the good folk of Bromley to contact their MP and ask him to take in to account their needs," she said.

The bill would get its second reading around October, Ms Atherton added.