WASPI Labour MP says its 'staggering' in Parliamentary update ahead of key debate

An MP supporting compensation for the WASPI women has condemned the "staggering injustice" of how the 1950s-born women have been treated by the DWP.

Labour MP Rebecca Long Bailey said that "huge numbers" of MPs think the women should get payouts and that the Government must resolve the issue.

The WASPI campaigners claim they were not adequately informed their state pension age would rise from 60 to 65 and then 66, with many unaware of the change, ruining their retirement plans.

They have fought for years for Government compensation. An investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman previously found the DWP should have communicated the change sooner, and recommended payouts ranging from £1,000 to £2,950.

But Labour ministers announced at the end of last year there would be no compensation scheme for the women, arguing it would be a poor use of taxpayer funds and that most women did know of the change to their state pension age.

Individual MPs from across all the major political parties support compensation, while some political parties support compensation as their policy, including the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.

Ms Long Bailey and other MPs have now asked for a backbench business debate on the issue, with a provisional date of Thursday, July 3, for the debate.

She explained the need for the fresh debate, saying: "MPs in huge numbers across the house have continued to campaign and use every parliamentary tool at our disposal.

"We have now sought to bring this staggering injustice before Government once again and to outline the options Government must now consider to finally provide the redress these women deserve."

She said that the lack of proper notice of the state pension age increase meant many of the women were left "in financial dire straits" with some losing their employment and even their homes as a result of their retirement plans being suddenly ruined.

The MP said: "The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman reported that the DWP was guilty of maladministration, that these women suffered injustice and recommended that Parliament identify an urgent scheme of redress.

"The recommendations were clear but in an unprecedented and devastating blow, they were ignored by Government leaving the women and MPs supporting them stunned."

The WASPI campaigners will be pleased to see the WASPI issue getting a fresh airing in Parliament, as they currentlly have applied for a judicial review, with the high court to examine the Government's decision not to grant compensation, to determine if its reasoning was correct.

Even if the decision is overturned, this does not guarantee payouts - so growing pressure from MPs could be crucial in forcing the Government to finally grant compensation.

WASPI campaign chair Angela Madden explained: "It doesn't matter even if we win the case, the Government probably still won't want to pay what they should or what has been recommended.

What we are hoping is that more and more MPs will come across to the side of what is right to be done, rather than voting with the Government."

A DWP spokesperson said previously about the judicial review: "We do not comment on live litigation. We accept the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and have apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women.

"However, we do not agree with the Ombudsman’s approach to injustice or remedy and that is why we have decided not to pay compensation."