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When to replace rubber due to age?

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When giving my gran's VW Lupo a good wash & wax I noticed that the tyres were covered in lots of small slits both on the side wall and into the tread on all four tyres. There's still a good 4/5 mm of tread on each tyre though.
Apparently the tyres are the original ones that came on the car new when purchased 15 years ago! The car does approx. 400 - 500 miles a year and is serviced yearly.
l was under the impression that when rubber deteriorates like this into the tread it should be replaced,baring in mind the car had it's MOT in january should the tester not have failed it on these grounds?

Obviously I want to make sure my Gran is safe on the road but am I right to tell her to change the tyres?
 
I believe that as long as the crown and shoulder of the tyre hasn't perished or deteriorated too much then its fine. Although its worth checking the inner sidewalls of the tyres as modern chamfered speed cushions can seriously and dangerously ruin the inner sidewalls if people have driven over them by straddling the bump rather than 1 wheel on, 1 wheel off. More and more cases of blowouts are being reported as the damage goes un-noticed.
 
Hippy get them changed ASAP. Honestly it is really not worth risking it. Tyres like all rubber parts have a service/ shelf life. If they are 15 years old then chances are they are more than past their best. The slits (i take it by this you mean there are cracked and crazed all over) are a sign that the rubber is beging to harden and so will split much more easily. Chances are that on a hot summers day a spot of motorway driving will lead to a blow out.

I read an article the other day in one of my Dads motor trade magazines all about tyres and was suprised to read that tyres have a ' use by' date on them somewhere (although it didnt say if that was visable with the tyre on the wheel) but it did say that most modern tyres are good for 10 years. Went on to say about how one local fitter somewhere in the north of the uk had been successfully prosecuted after a newly fitted tyre had failed and it was found to be past the date marked onto it.
 
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