"Defining issues of that last parliament can still be defining issues of this Parliament but only if the Government acts to provide the compensation and redress that these women so badly deserve."
- SNP leader Stephen Flynn
A Bill which would pave the way to get compensation to WASPI women has moved to the next stage in Parliament.
The WASPI - Women Against State Pension Inequality - campaign centres around the pension age of women born between 1954 and 1960, who were affected by the 1995 Pensions Act which increased women's state pension age from 60 to 66, in line with men.
Last month, the government announced that there will be no financial compensation for WASPI women, despite the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report, which recommended compensation between £1,000 and £2,950 for each woman affected.
The PHSO investigated complaints from women born in the 1950s that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to provide them with accurate, adequate and timely information about changes to the state pension age and the number of qualifying years needed to claim the full rate of the new state pension.
The new Bill, which was tabled by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, passed by 105 votes to zero and will now be introduced to the House of Commons for further consideration.
The vote means that the Bill has passed the first hurdle, but it is likely to remain symbolic without government backing.
Labour and Conservative MPs largely abstained on the vote, with 10 Labour MPs breaking ranks to support the Bill.
If passed, the Bill would require ministers to publish measures to address the findings of the PHSO report.
Flynn has now asked for the Bill to be considered further at second reading on March 7th.
He told the House of Commons: “This Bill seeks to do the right thing by those people who we made a promise to. Many of us in the last parliament watched on as a TV show changed the mind of the Government in respect of the Post Office Horizon (scandal). Many of us watched on as Parliament itself forced the Government to change tack when it came to the infected blood scandal.
“Many of us have spoken about the Equitable Life scandal, the Hillsborough disaster, the loan charge debacle and, indeed, the WASPI campaign.
“Defining issues of that last parliament can still be defining issues of this Parliament but only if the Government acts to provide the compensation and redress that these women so badly deserve.”
Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields, said: “Prior to today I had asked for Parliament to vote on the matter and just a few weeks ago I spoke in a parliamentary debate reaffirming my steadfast support for the WASPI women.
“I will always stand by my words and promises and act on them when there is an opportunity to do so. Today I did just that.”
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP, commented: “This Government clearly cannot face up to the betrayal it inflicted on millions of wronged women.
“These women were judged to be the victims of a gross injustice but instead of righting this wrong, Conservative and Labour MPs decided to sit on their hands.
“The Liberal Democrats will ensure that this fight does not end here. We will use everything in our power to make the Government see sense and reverse this callous decision.”
