A petition has launched calling for a public inquiry to “expose the truth” behind the WASPI (Women against state pension inequality) issue.
The fresh calls for action come after an MP said it was “disgraceful” that the Government has yet to act on the issue of providing compensation for the women affected.
The petition to Parliament states: “We request a public inquiry into the state pension age changes for women, which we believe have left many in a state of financial and mental despair.
“We believe the Government has had little or no consideration of the circumstances, historic inequality, mental health and wellbeing of 1950s women.
“We believe that women affected by these changes were given inadequate notice that they would have to wait in some cases a further six years to receive the State Pension. We believe a public inquiry is necessary to expose the truth.”
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has deemed that there was “maladministration” in how the rise in the state pension age was communicated to the WASPI generation of women.
Pressure is growing on the Government to act on the question of compensation, after a recent report from the Ombudsman called for payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950.
At the time of writing, the petition has had over 1,000 signatures. If it reaches 10,000 signatures, the Government will be forced to issue a response.
If the campaign can get 100,000 signatures, the issue will be debated in Parliament.
Campaigners have renewed their efforts to get Parliament to hold a debate and vote on the issue since the latest Ombudsman report.
The Backbench Business Committee approved plans for a debate in Parliament on the issue last week.
Labour MP Grahame Morris is one of a cross-party group of MPs calling for the Government to act. He told Express.co.uk: “The PHSO’s recommendations fail to acknowledge the full extent of the hardship and suffering caused to WASPI women.
“In my view, these recommendations represent the minimum level of compensation they should receive and I continue to support the more than 5,000 women in my constituency seeking full recompense.
“The Government has sought to delay and frustrate this campaign, meaning over 250,000 women have died without receiving pension justice.
“The Government must act in a timely manner to establish a fair system of compensation in order to right this historic injustice.”
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