Highlights the urgency of ensuring that all Members who wish to speak are able to do so during the debate. Emphasises the importance of allowing every MP to contribute their views.

Commends Patricia Gibson for securing the debate and acknowledges the ongoing issues faced by WASPI women, indicating that the Government's actions show how out of touch they are with these concerns.

Raises awareness about the current situation of WASPI women, noting that every 13 minutes a woman from this affected group passes away. Emphasises the growing number of impacted individuals as 280,000 and counting.

Andrew Selous discussed the importance of trust in political institutions and the role of the ombudsman. He cited a case where women were affected by changes to State Pension age, highlighting that some had planned their retirement based on old information and only found out about the change from colleagues at work. Selous emphasised the financial implications for these women and suggested the cost could be up to £11.5 billion across the UK. He also stressed the importance of honesty in politics regarding overall Government finances, suggesting a need for transparency when considering compensation funds. He argued that while trust is crucial, it should not compromise on the ombudsman's decisions.

Julian Lewis supported Andrew Selous' argument by referencing paragraph 459 of the report, which highlights that maladministration in communication about State Pension age changes has denied women opportunities to make informed decisions and take different actions. This is described as a material injustice.

Christine Jardine shared her experience with constituents affected by the State Pension age change, emphasising that trust in institutions is crucial. She highlighted that women are still uncertain about their pension entitlements and stressed the broader implications of the issue.

Patricia Gibson questioned Andrew Selous on the mounting costs of compensation schemes, underscoring the importance of effective governance in preventing such issues from arising.

The House member acknowledges the Backbench Business Committee for giving them the opportunity to discuss the ombudsman's report on the pension age increase and its impact on women. He highlights the maladministration identified by the Parliamentary Commissioner, noting that while many people were aware of the change, 60% did not know about it. Timms emphasises the need for an apology from the Department and financial compensation for those affected, suggesting a rules-based approach to calculating this compensation based on two variables: extent of pension age increase and notice given. He urges the Government to bring forward proposals before the summer recess to address these issues promptly.

It is a great honour to follow the right hon. Member for East Ham, who has encyclopaedic knowledge of this subject. In North Norfolk, there are approximately 5,000 WASPI women affected by the issue. I reflect on the real impact of this scandal and emphasise that speed is of the essence after the report's publication. We need to come up with a remedy as quickly as possible due to the suffering these women have endured for years. Many individuals faced severe financial difficulties, relying heavily on pensions they thought were guaranteed but did not receive, leading to profound impacts on their lives and mental well-being. I agree that we should learn from other injustices such as the Post Office scandal and strive to find practical solutions quickly.

I thank the Backbench Business Committee for enabling this debate. The case for righting this injustice is convincing, as highlighted by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s inquiry that found maladministration in DWP's communication about the 1995 Pensions Act and its complaint handling processes. Given the urgency of the situation, I urge both Front-Bench spokespeople to hold talks chaired by Mr Speaker with a view to putting a Bill before the House as speedily as possible. We owe it to the women affected to address this issue urgently.

Congratulates Patricia Gibson on securing the debate, acknowledges the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report of 21 March. Discusses issues arising from the report including maladministration by DWP in failing to share adequate information with women affected by state pension changes; PHSO's rare step of laying its report before Parliament due to concerns that DWP would not provide remedy; highlights repeated failures in communication and implementation of policy in DWP over 30 years. Emphasises the need for a fair and just resolution, outlines the threefold aims of the APPG he co-chairs: representing women treated unjustly by pension changes, developing policies to support affected families, feeding views into future policy decisions. Discusses compensation levels recommended by PHSO and APPG, suggests DWP should bring forward proposals before summer recess.

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran for her blistering and brilliant opening speech. She speaks for many of our constituents and for those Members who cannot be here today. We must remember that WASPI women are not just some distant, transient group, but real people with real lives, and this injustice has had a real impact. I find it remarkable that the ombudsman has such little faith in the Government that it is turning to Parliament to try to find a resolution and a remedy. We owe it to those WASPI women to do so. Sadly, it has become the business of this Government to kick the can down the road. While we are looking at what remedies we can find and what money can be sought, perhaps we should be looking at proceeds of crime money or sanctions against Russian oligarchs for dirty money. I have had many representations from the 6,500 WASPI women in my Livingston constituency. For example, Shirley Sharp took early retirement in December 2008 when she was 54 and received her forecast pension date as March 2019 but later found out that her pension age would be increased by 18 months with no communication from the DWP. Another constituent Anne Seenan missed out on £14,000 due to a two-year delay in her state pension, having never received any communication from the DWP. Another was affected by Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy and could not teach under bright lights. The Government need to understand the profound impact this issue has had on constituents such as Susan Rankin, Chaw Atkinson, Elizabeth Donnelly, Linda Howieson, Meg Wilson, Marion Wight, Margaret Diamond, Anne Waugh and Gloria Fairgrieve.

I rise to speak on behalf of the 6,180 women across Stockton South affected by this issue. My mother is a WASPI woman who found out about her pension age increase through chatting with her sister. The system that these women paid into all their life was meant to provide them with comfort in retirement but instead they lost the chance to make informed decisions for retirement planning. These women deserve justice and fair treatment from the system they spent their lives paying into, as confirmed by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on maladministration and need for compensation. The issue has gone on for too long and these women have waited a long time for justice. I urge the Government to consider the report quickly and ensure that WASPI women get the fair and fast compensation they deserve.

The speaker thanks hon. Members for their contributions and acknowledges the work of campaign groups fighting against pension inequality. She stresses that while the report focuses on maladministration, wider issues of discrimination remain unresolved. Women who were forced out of the workforce due to caring responsibilities faced disadvantages exacerbated by a significant gender pay gap. The ombudsman's report concludes that affected women are entitled to compensation and the Government must urgently provide it. Various options for remedying the situation are discussed, including flat-rate payments or means-tested mediation approaches, but it is crucial that any solution is fair, fast, non-means tested, and supported by the affected women.

Commends Patricia Gibson for securing the debate on the ombudsman’s report and representing WASPI women. He mentions Mary Barclay from his constituency who came to his advice surgery to ask him to speak in this debate. Bonnar highlights that across Scotland, almost 356,000 women were impacted by the WASPI pension scandal, many of whom are now deceased or dying without seeing justice. The SNP welcomes the findings of the PHSO’s report and demands urgent amends from the UK Government for their maladministration. He criticises the current government's refusal to comply with the ombudsman's recommendations and calls on them to act urgently to deliver justice and compensation to WASPI women.

Supports Steven Bonnar’s point about the need for an apology from a former Labour Prime Minister who promised safety of pensions under any UK Government, which turned out to be false. He questions whether it is now time for that politician to apologise for misleading millions of people in Scotland.

This issue is very close to my heart, and I thank the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Patricia Gibson) and the Backbench Business Committee for the opportunity to speak about it in the Chamber. However, some Members are not working with good will and consensus and based on the cross-party work that has been done—in particular, that of the APPG led by my hon. Friend the Member for Salford and Eccles (Rebecca Long Bailey) and her co-chair, the hon. Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous), whom I thank for their work. I have been acutely aware of the 1950s women’s state pension injustice for a long time. Since I was elected in 2017, I have written to and met numerous women in Gower born in the 1950s who have shared their experiences and told me of the profound impact this issue has had on their lives. The then Conservative Chancellor’s decision to accelerate increases in the state pension age in the Pensions Act 2011 produced considerable hardship for many women, as it meant that a lot of them received little notice of an increase in their state pension age. Women who had already made plans based on previous pension statements had to scramble on and continue to work to make ends meet. Recently, my constituent Carrie Williams came to visit my surgery. She was in the first cohort of women affected. Initial leaflets on changes stated that the increase to 65 would happen in 2020. She then received a letter in 2013 informing her that the changes would be in force from 2018, and would gradually increase from then, meaning that she would have to wait not until she was 65, but until her 66th birthday—an extra year—before being able to receive her state pension. Following a period of poor health, the knowledge that she would not be getting her pension for several years more made her increasingly stressed and—combined with other issues that she had with the DWP at the time, which were affecting her income—led to her again falling ill and having a seizure. Not only did she unexpectedly have to wait until 66 to access her state pension, but the amount that she receives from it has drastically reduced year on year due to fiscal drag.

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Patricia Gibson) for securing the debate and the Backbench Business Committee for granting it. It is my privilege to speak on behalf of WASPI women, particularly those in the Falkirk WASPI women group, who have been with me for a long time. I held a public meeting way back in 2015 for the approximately 7,000 women in my constituency who are affected by the state pension age change. The majority of women were only one year away from the original retirement age of 60 years, and faced a further six years of working life without any warning. Many had already started to make plans to retire because of ill health or their caring duties for grandchildren and/or elderly parents. A cohort of the Falkirk women got together and formed the Falkirk group in 2016. They made arrangements to join the very first demo down here in London in June 2016. Since then, they have participated in other demos—both here and in Scotland—and in 2019, they published a calendar, from which all proceeds went to Breast Cancer Care. Local co-ordinator Anne Campbell and I have had many discussions and meetings about this issue, along with other stalwarts of the group. The Falkirk Women are positive and strong in their endeavour to right the wrong that was foisted upon them in the cruellest and most calculating way. They want an apology and compensation for the turmoil thrust upon them. They want respect, dignity, and, most importantly, a fair and fast compensation scheme to redress the injustice. The Government can and should resolve this pitiful state of affairs here and now, and do the right and proper thing by putting an end to this bureaucratic shambles.

Pays tribute to WASPI women and others campaigning on this issue in Wirral West and across the UK. Criticises discriminatory and sexist nature of pension provision that has adversely affected 1950s-born women, citing examples such as fixed number of qualifying years for a pension, reduced five-year qualifying period from April 1988, part-time workers disproportionately affected by pension schemes, and gender pay gap impacting occupational pensions. Emphasises the high pensions gender gap where women have 35% less private pension wealth than men at age 55, and women receive around 5% less state pension income due to historical rules and computer errors. Urges the Minister to act swiftly on parliamentary and health service ombudsman's report on women’s state pension age, highlighting financial hardship and emotional distress experienced by WASPI women.

Committed the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Patricia Gibson) for securing this debate, emphasising the need for a speedy response from the Government following the ombudsman’s report on WASPI issues. Criticised the lack of action by the Government despite cross-party consensus and independent recommendations. Highlighted the importance of upholding high standards in Parliament and responding to constituents' needs. Emphasised the impact of pension changes on women's financial security, particularly single women and those with reduced working capacity due to ill health.

Intervened in Wendy Chamberlain’s speech to express the mental burden faced by WASPI women. Urged the Government to honour the ombudsman’s recommendations immediately and provide a proper plan for compensation.

Responded to Paul Maynard's point of order regarding body language in debates, stating that his comments stand on the record.

Recounted the experiences of Hilary and other WASPI women, highlighting the financial strain and emotional distress caused by pension changes. Criticised the Government for failing to respond promptly after the ombudsman’s report. Emphasised the urgent need for compensation and justice for the affected women.

I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate and express support for WASPI women. There are about 6,800 WASPI women in Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock who were not informed of changes to their state pension age by the Government, leading to financial losses, reduced quality of life, and damage to mental health. The cost of compensating these women is estimated at £36 billion, which is insignificant compared to other public expenditures such as the failed covid test and trace system. I urge the DWP to propose a compensation scheme before the summer recess.

I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate and express disappointment at the criticism of Labour Members. The WASPI campaign has been ongoing for nearly a decade, with around 5,000 affected women in my constituency. I call on the DWP to own its mistakes, apologise, and swiftly deliver adequate compensation as recommended by the ombudsman's report. The Government’s delay tactics must end. There is no doubt that the DWP’s maladministration has caused immense stress and severe mental health issues for these women.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has asked Parliament to find a remedy for the WASPI women who have suffered injustice. The Government must act with haste to bring forward remedies for these women. 3.8 million WASPI women were affected by changes, leading to poor communication and adverse life choices. This issue must be resolved immediately, not delayed until after an election. The Scottish National Party Westminster group commissioned a report on financial remedies that was ignored by the UK Government in June 2016. The House has debated this issue many times but needs action now. A motion calling for improved transitional arrangements received cross-party support, yet it was ignored. Women affected faced pension deferrals with insufficient notice, impacting their life plans and finances severely.

This debate would not be happening if it was not for the bravery of the WASPI women campaigners over many years. I have always been impressed by their verve and the demands that they bring to any occasion, and by their dressing appropriately in suffragette colours—one cannot miss them at any event or meeting anywhere. The whole principle of the ombudsman is that it is an independent, non-political office that makes recommendations on the basis of the evidence it has collected. We need to thank the campaign for its work. Many would say that Parliament is now confronted with a problem not of its own making, and that it has to do something to try to resolve the issue. People look to Parliament to achieve justice. The discrimination against 1950s-born women has been going on for a long time. We need justice, and it is up to this Parliament to deliver that justice for women who worked so hard to deliver the services from which we have all benefited.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing and leading this debate. The pension changes were made for the great cause of equality, but women born in the 1950s have been discriminated against throughout their life. To say to those women with very little notice that they need to work an additional six years is frankly ludicrous. We need to recognise the injustices and discrimination that many 1950s-born women suffered throughout their life. The change was not about some magical equality formula; it was to make women work longer. Women working in physical environments will not be able to work until they are 66, which is a brutal dynamic. We need to conclude this matter before the summer recess so that we can all say as a Parliament that we know and accept the cost.

McDonnell argued that a flat-rate compensation scheme based on Lord Bryn Davies' recommendations is necessary to address pension inequality. He pointed out that the proposed £50 billion cost was justified by historical tax cuts and corporate welfare benefits, which amounted to over £100 billion each since 2010. McDonnell stressed the urgency of action due to individuals living in poverty or dying before receiving compensation.

Morris responded by citing international comparisons showing that UK spending on state pensions and benefits is significantly lower than other countries like Italy, France, and Denmark. He argued for increased investment in decent pensions to address the pension inequality issue.

Commemorates the efforts of WASPI campaigners and honours June Miller for her contributions to establishing a local campaign group. Criticises the Government's handling of communication regarding pension changes impacting 1950s-born women, highlighting that more than 280,000 WASPI women have died during the campaign period. Stresses the importance of swift action from the Government and proposes level 6 compensation to reflect profound impacts on emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. Advocates for an independent body to oversee the compensation scheme to ensure transparency and trust.

Shannon congratulates colleagues who have brought forward ideas for addressing the issue and criticises the Government's delay in providing redress. He uses the example of a constituent who cleaned school toilets until she was 60, only to find her pension had been pushed back by six years without any prior notice or compensation plan. Shannon demands immediate action from the Government to compensate WASPI women with a lump sum and enhanced payments for a set period.

The hon. Member Alan Brown commends his colleague for securing the debate, acknowledges the work of campaigners and other MPs in bringing attention to the issue, criticises the Government's delay in responding, and emphasises that compensation is due for women affected by state pension age increases. He also addresses the findings of the ombudsman’s report, which confirms maladministration by the DWP and calls out the lack of action from the Government and opposition parties. Alan Brown introduces his private Member’s Bill proposing a compensation framework for WASPI women based on the level of impact they have faced.

The debate concerns the ombudsman's report on the state pension age changes and its impact on women. Alison McGovern thanked the Backbench Business Committee for allocating time to discuss this important matter, acknowledged contributions from other Members who shared their experiences or provided details of the ombudsman’s report, highlighted the thoroughness of the debate, and emphasised the seriousness of the consequences for women affected by these changes. She urged the Government to respond without undue delay, providing a timescale for action based on advice received and analysis conducted within the Department. McGovern reminded the audience that Labour had previously tabled amendments seeking proper notice for pension age increases and questioned whether an analysis has been done on why the Government pressed ahead with changes despite clear consequences. She also raised concerns about the principle of timely information provision and requested a list of lessons learned and measures put in place by the Department.

The Government are giving full and proper consideration to the ombudsman’s report. The issues to be decided are significant and complex and require detailed understanding and deliberation. In 2024-25, we will spend more than £167 billion on benefits for pensioners, including an 8.5% increase in April. The DWP’s communication of changes to the state pension age between 1995 and 2004 reflected standards that the ombudsman would expect it to meet. However, when considering the Department’s actions between August 2005 and December 2007, the ombudsman came to the view that they resulted in 1950s-born women receiving individual notice later than they might have done had different decisions been made.

The UK spends only 5.7% of GDP on state pensions and benefits, compared to 16% in Italy, 13.9% in France, and an OECD average of 8.2%, suggesting that our pensioners are not generously provided for.

Asked how long the process of giving serious consideration to the ombudsman’s report will take before deciding what actions to take.

The DWP was guilty of maladministration during the period of 2005 to 2007, as stated by the ombudsman. He questioned whether the Minister accepts this finding and if the Department should acknowledge it.

Asked a question about the draft report, but was not provided with specific details in the text snippet.

Requested to give way for an intervention that is not fully detailed in the given text.

Stressed the need for rapid proposals before recess, considering there may be only 10 sitting weeks left until a general election or recess. Emphasised that this timeline is crucial to getting a viable scheme through Parliament.

The debate saw unanimous support from Back-Bench speakers but lacked commitment from both the Labour and Government Front Benches. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report concluded that ignoring its findings would create a constitutional gap in citizen protection, highlighting an urgent need for action. Gibson criticised both the UK Government and Labour Front Bench for their lack of concrete steps towards compensation, noting discrepancies in their responses compared to other crises like the infected blood scandal and Horizon calamity. She emphasised that without immediate action from these Front Benches, the campaign for justice must continue.