Liz urges Commons vote on women's pension rights

Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Liz Saville Roberts says it is inexcusable that the UK Labour Government have refused to compensate 1950s-born women impacted by pension inequality and has called for a Commons vote to provide redress.

Speaking in a packed parliamentary debate, Mrs Saville Roberts said that the impact on 1950s-born women deserved more than a meagre apology, accusing the Labour government of dismissing the recommendation of their own regulator, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, to provide compensation.

Thousands of women in Gwynedd have been affected by the rise in the state pension age, with many given little or no notice and not enough time to make alternative plans, often with devastating consequences. 

Speaking in Parliament, Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

'In Wales different groups, including 1950s Women of Wales and WASPI, have been working tirelessly to force Government action on pension inequality over many, many years. Unlike Labour in government, Plaid Cymru’s support for 1950s-born women has not wavered with the tide. We made our commitment clear in our 2024 general election manifesto. We believe it inexcusable that the Labour Government has refused the recommendation of its own regulator, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, to provide compensation - justified by saying the cost would not “be a fair or proportionate use of taxpayers’ money”. This is particularly unjustifiable because the Ombudsman makes clear in its final report that “finite resources should not be an excuse for failing to provide a fair remedy”. But the level of compensation set out by the Ombudsman does not go far enough in the first place. It does little to account for the impact – both financial and otherwise – on affected 1950s-born women. Plaid Cymru have consistently supported compensation of at least Level 5 on the Ombudsman scale - between £3,000 and £9,950. These were women whose voices were not heard during their careers. It is a shameful thing that with a Labour Government in power, their voices remain unheard. As parliamentarians, it is critical that we now use every opportunity and route available to us, so that 1950s-born women can finally receive some justice through fair redress.

Mrs Saville Roberts added:

Women across the UK have been hit hard by the changes. To the surprise and dismay of many of them, the plans that they had made have been disrupted. Women in Wales are being hit particularly hard by the changes. Life expectancy is generally lower in Wales than in England. Incomes in Wales are low, so they have already suffered a disproportionate disadvantage. There are fewer job opportunities and jobs are more insecure, particularly in some constituencies. Despite the clamour of outrage and years of campaigning, successive UK Governments have refused to support these women who are trapped in difficult financial situations through no fault of their own. When Labour representatives – from the Welsh First Minister to the Secretary of State for Wales - stood with 1950s women, held their placards, promising that a UK Labour Government would end pension injustice – they didn't expect that very Government to turn its back when it counted. The UK Government not only have a legal obligation but also a moral obligation to address the hardship caused to the women whose pension plans were cut short. They must act immediately to deliver a fair and fast compensation scheme.


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  • Alun Roberts
    published this page in Latest News 2025-01-20 11:26:22 +0000

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Liz Saville Roberts and Mabon ap Gwynfor work hard for everyone who lives in Dwyfor Meirionnydd. If you’d like to get involved and help them with their campaigning efforts, get in touch.