The Government made their decision on this case on [K 29 January 2026, after giving the PHSO's report careful consideration. The [K detailed reasons for our decision were set out in our response, which has b [1D [K been placed in the Library of the House.

As I have previously said to this House, it is unus [4D [K unusual but not unprecedented for the Government to take a different view f [1D [K from the PHSO. That does not mean that we have not taken its report incredi [7D [K incredibly seriously—I have also met its representatives—but as I have said [4D [K said, we set out the detailed reasons for the decision we came to in the re [2D [K response we laid in the House of Commons Library on 29 January.

The hon. Member has raised this issue repeatedly ov [2D [K over a number of years, and I recognise that. Specifically on the issues he [2D [K he raises, it was the ombudsman itself, rather than the Government, that in [2D [K initially set out that the women affected did not suffer direct financial l [1D [K loss. The ombudsman was looking narrowly at how the state pension age incre [5D [K increase was communicated, which is different from the decision to accelera [8D [K accelerate the increase in 2011. The hon. Member raises the 2007 evidence s [1D [K showing a minority of people read and remembered such letters.

The hon. Member raises questions about Labour Membe [5D [K Members' promises in 2024 and the last ministerial meeting with the WASPI w [1D [K women, which took place in September 2024. He is right that Labour opposed [K accelerating the state pension age but lost those votes and the court uphel [5D [K upheld the decision. The debate here focuses on communications rather than [K decisions. On compensation, our manifesto did not make a commitment to brin [4D [K bring forward such measures.

My hon. Friend rightly raises issues about the dist [4D [K distinction between communicating state pension age increases and the decis [5D [K decision itself. The speed of increase in 2011 affected millions, particula [9D [K particularly women. We are increasing the state pension via the triple lock [4D [K lock to up to £2,100 this month. Also, we are investing £26 billion into ou [2D [K our NHS.

We have debated this issue extensively in recent we [2D [K weeks, and the House will have another chance to do so later today. Represe [7D [K Representatives of the industry itself have said that it is in the interest [8D [K interests of savers to invest in a wider range of assets, reflecting lesson [6D [K lessons from open defined-benefit schemes and those in other parts of the w [1D [K world where UK's defined-contribution schemes lack exposure to a broader as [2D [K asset range. We introduced a reserve measure to backstop changes needed to [K solve collective action problems, ensuring savers do not lose out. Signific [8D [K Significant protections, including an affirmative vote and savers' interest [8D [K interest tests, have been put in place.