▁is ▁object ively ▁just ified . ▁Lord ▁Nich oll s ▁concluded ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁way . ▁ ▁Sign ific ance ▁Se ym our - Smith ▁tested ▁the ▁impact ▁that ▁legisl ation ▁for ▁equality ▁had ▁on ▁other ▁prov isions ▁of ▁national ▁law , ▁and ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁conclusion ▁that ▁member ▁states ▁should ▁have ▁a ▁broad ▁dis cret ion ▁in ▁the ▁kinds ▁of ▁social ▁policies ▁they ▁purs ue , ▁but ▁that ▁their ▁reasoning ▁process ▁was ▁subject ▁to ▁review ▁by ▁the ▁European ▁Court ▁of ▁Justice , ▁as ▁was ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁evidence ▁provided , ▁and ▁that ▁in ▁any ▁event ▁no ▁social ▁policy ▁could ▁contra ven e ▁the ▁principle ▁of ▁equal ▁treatment . ▁The ▁House ▁of ▁L ords ▁aff ir med ▁this ▁in ▁holding ▁that ▁while ▁there ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁objective ▁just ification ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁still ▁for ▁a ▁two - year ▁qual ifying ▁period , ▁experience ▁of ▁such ▁measures ▁could ▁call ▁for ▁a ▁different ▁assess ment ▁at ▁a ▁later ▁point ▁in ▁time , ▁and ▁a ▁government ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁issue ▁under ▁review . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁UK ▁labour ▁law ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Office ▁for ▁National ▁Statistics , ▁' Duration ▁of ▁Emp loyment ▁by ▁Sex ▁and ▁Age , ▁ 2 0 0 3 ' ▁( So cial ▁Tr ends ▁ 3 4 ) ▁statistics . gov . uk ▁Matthew ▁Stone ▁Rest oration ' s ▁webpage , ▁which ▁alleg edly ▁unf air ly ▁dismiss ed ▁M s ▁Pere z ▁Christ o ▁& ▁Co ' s ▁webpage , ▁which ▁alleg edly