Catch the live debate as MPs discuss compensation for 1950s-born women affected by pension age changes
London: So, today’s the day! SNP leader Stephen Flynn is bringing a bill to Westminster. This bill is all about compensating women born in the 1950s who got hit hard by changes to the state pension age.
Last March, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman suggested that these women should get between £1,000 and £2,950 each. Why? Because the Department for Work and Pensions didn’t do a great job of letting them know about the changes.
But here’s the kicker: the Labour Government has said no to any compensation. The ombudsman even called this refusal “extremely unusual,” especially since most recommendations usually get followed.
Now, how does this whole 10-minute rule thing work? Flynn gets 10 minutes to explain why his bill is important, and then someone can oppose it for another 10 minutes. After that, the House will decide if the bill gets a first reading.
The SNP is ready to push for a vote, and they might even get some supporters to shout “no” to make it official. It’s going to be interesting to see how this unfolds!
As for when the debate kicks off, it’s a bit of a mystery. There will be urgent questions starting at 12:30 PM, so it might be late afternoon or even evening before they actually get to the vote.
If you want to catch the action, you can watch it live on Parliament TV. Just a heads up, this vote won’t change anything right away, but it could show how unhappy some Labour backbenchers are with the Government’s stance.
Any vote would be a symbolic nod to support the compensation idea, but without Government backing, it’s a tough road ahead for Flynn’s bill.
