MPs debate the effect of the equalisation of the state pension age on women

UKParliament

On Thursday 7 January, MPs will discuss the effect of the equalisation of the state pension age on women in the House of Commons.

The debate was proposed by Mhairi Black, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South.



Watch the debate on Parliament TV from approximately 11:30am, following Business Questions.



Further information

The House of Commons Library provides impartial information and research services for MPs and their staff in support of their parliamentary duties. The Library have produced a briefing for the debate on the increases in the State Pension age for women born in the 1950s.

House of Commons Library – Increases in the State Pension age for women born in the 1950s

Al.

Important that the debate will focus on the timescale surrounding the 2011 changes, not the 1995 ones.

Paul_Herring

Al. wrote: »

Important that the debate will focus on the timescale surrounding the 2011 changes, not the 1995 ones.

At the moment. Wait until WASPI *really* get involved.

Al.

I get the impression WASPI has been courted, feted.. and left high and dry.

Paul_Herring

Al. wrote: »

I get the impression WASPI has been courted, feted.. and left high and dry.

Ah. They won't be happy about that then....

bmm78

The lack of clarity in the WASPI message always left them open to MPs making their own play.

If both Labour and the SNP have already narrowed down their line of attack to the 2011 changes, it doesn't bode well for any parliamentary leeway on 1995. There probably isn't much point of a separate debate on the 1995 changes if neither Labour nor SNP have any appetite for it.

It puts WASPI in an awkward position, as the parliamentary starting point seems to ignore a large element of their campaign. Many of the supporters have been attracted to the goal of getting their State Pension at 60 (or compo to that effect). Do they stick to their position of reverting SPA to 60 without MP support, or do they take a more pragmatic approach and risk alienating some of their supporters?

tinter

There is nothing pragmatic about the WASPI campaign. It is built on a sense of entitlement to a state pension at 60, and will continue in that vein evermore.

Hopefully the MPs moving to a sensible debate in this case will shift the media coverage and move WASPI further towards irrelevance. Once that happens it should naturally wither.

Al.

Paul_Herring wrote: »

Ah. They won't be happy about that then....

This was my gut instinct tweet yesterday. I may have been best served to moderate it a little but essentially, it's how I feel. I hope that the ladies who do (genuinely) deserve help, get it. A lady has tweeted me in the past hour and if you look at her Twitter profile (HR company director, lover of fast cars, horses, fine living and good wine etc), it's hard to contour up any measure of enthusiasm for the cause in general. The shame is, the many who don't have much in the way if a plausible case (imho) detract from the needs of the few who do. I think too, EU gender harmonisation legislation won't allow much (if any) latitude.

https://twitter.com/raf_ifa/status/683598195151208448

JezR

It had occurred to me too that WASPI thought they were 'using' many of the people they were interacting with and gaining visible support from, when in reality it may be WASPI being 'used' by a significant proportion of these to their own ends.

Al.

Agreed. The SNP has just confirmed it doesn't support the WASPI aim of rollback for anyone born in the fifties. If the SNP is doing that, the seeming core of what WASPI is after is dead in the water.

patanne

I was pleased to hear (before WASPI got up to 60k) that MPs were already going to debate & I am really pleased that they are to focus on the 2011 changes. I was worried that if they did debate the WASPI thing that the problems with the 2011 ones would get swept under the carpet. I don't think they will actually DO anything but it would be nice if those issues were recognised.

No self interest here by the way as I have not been affected by either change even though I did know both were happening