West Dunbartonshire’s WASPI women at a meeting in the Burgh Hall.
by Bill Heaney
In light of the Labour Westminster Government’s reported decision to revisit compensating WASPI women against state pension inequality, what assessment has the Scottish Government made of the potential social security implications for those affected in Scotland, Clare Haughey MSP asked First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood today.
Mr Swinney told her: “We welcome the UK Government’s long-overdue announcement to reconsider the decision on compensation for women born in the 1950s who were impacted by the maladministration of the changes to state pension age.
“Around 336,000 women in Scotland were impacted, and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommended that they should receive compensation of up to £2,950 each. The Scottish Government has and always will support the WASPI campaign, and I urge the UK Government to finally do the right thing and compensate the women affected now.”
Clare Haughey replied that it was welcome that the Labour UK Government had been forced into this latest U-turn, and it was vital that it stopped dragging its feet.
She said: “WASPI women have waited long enough, with many having died while waiting for justice.
“Will the First Minister provide any update on the Scottish Government’s latest engagement with the UK Government on steps being taken to set this injustice right, and will he join me in calling on Labour to immediately honour the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and deliver full compensation for WASPI women now?”
Mr Swinney replied: “I echo and support that call from Clare Haughey. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions the day after his announcement, asking for the earliest possible clarification of when exactly UK ministers were first made aware of the new evidence, and urged him to complete the review at pace.
“She further reiterated that the Scottish Government has always supported the WASPI campaign and that compensation must be delivered now to right that historic wrong.”
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