Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what further steps she will take to address the concerns of the WASPI women.

Changes to State Pension age were made over a series of Acts by successive governments from 1995 onwards, following public consultations and extensive debates in both Houses of Parliament. The decision to equalise the State Pension age dates back to 1995, and addresses a longstanding inequality between men and women.

The Government’s position on the changes to State Pension age remains clear and consistent under successive governments. Any amendment to the current legislation which creates a new inequality between men and women would unquestionably be highly dubious as a matter of law.

Parliament set out successive Pensions Acts transitional arrangements when it introduced the changes to State Pension age. There are no plans for further transitional provisions.

State pension has risen by 2,050 in real terms since 2010 and with pensioner benefits of £129 billion, the state pension and supporting benefits have never been higher.