The fight for DWP compensation by the WASPI campaign (Women Against State Pension Inequality) is still very much alive, with an MP throwing their weight behind the cause. Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson, is spearheading renewed demands for a parliamentary debate and vote on the matter, having co-signed a bipartisan letter to Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, pressing for action.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Ms Chamberlain said: "The Government must come forward with their plan for compensation for Parliament to debate and vote on at the earliest opportunity."
She expressed her dismay at the Department for Work and Pensions' lack of preparedness, stating: "It is scandalous that the DWP seem so unprepared given the first finding of maladministration almost three years ago."
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Chamberlain, who is actively collaborating with MPs from various parties, is determined to leverage parliamentary procedures to compel the Government to present a compensation strategy. She's calling on those who support the WASPI campaign to get in touch with their MPs to reinforce the movement.
The North East Fife representative encouraged constituents, saying: "I would really encourage people to write to their MPs if they or people they know were impacted by the DWP's failure to notify people of the changes. Tell us why this compensation matters this to you. We want to listen."
In a recent development, the group of MPs backing WASPI achieved a victory on April 16 when the Backbench Business Committee sanctioned a debate on the issue of compensation, reports the Express SNP MP Patricia Gibson brought the matter to the committee's attention, criticising the Government for what she described as a "dereliction of duty" in not even agreeing to the principle of compensation.
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She argued: "This is an issue that the House has to debate. We cannot allow it to be the case that WASPI women have won the battle but don't get the spoils of war. There'll be different views across the house as to what that compensation might look like, and that's all part of the debate."
"But I think the principle for compensation has to be established, and it has to be established quickly, because the longer this report goes unanswered, the more despair is setting in."
Last month, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman suggested compensation payments ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 for the WASPI generation of women.
An open letter demanding MPs vote on compensation for those impacted has garnered over 230,000 signatures.
