Expectations for WASPI's "Fair and Fast" compensation campaign through the Parliamentary Ombudsman are being tempered by its legal team and so called pensions experts (who may have vested interests?) in advance of what looks like being a very disappointing outcome from this initiative for the remaining 3.6m 50s Women
Remember, the Ombudsman has been asked by Government to review only Maladministration, ignoring the now proven Direct Discrimination irrefutably evidenced by the CEDAWinLAW Judge's report.
His stage 1 finding, which has not been challenged by WASPI, limits that maladministration to only partial, as he has ruled that prior to 2005 the DWP acted in accordance with expectations.
Although he is now reviewing his stage 2 findings, several commentators including Steve Webb, former Pensions Minister, have warned that it is very unlikely that blanket compensation for all 50s Women will be recommended, and the best we can hope for is an offer of compensation for those who can show that the failure of DWP to communicate changes in State Pension Age (from 2005) led to financial losses.
John Ralfe, Pensions consultant, has warned that some people were being misled to expect thousands of pounds in compensation, as the PHSO published guidelines indicate the likelihood of only a few hundred pounds for a few thousand of the 3.8m 50sWomen who were affected.
IMO the DWP does not have a great track record in dealing with errors, miscalculations or even day-to-day payments, as evidenced by the length of time it is taking to repay thousands of underpayments to older women and the difficulty people are having even getting through on phone lines.
Remember also that the DWP does not have to follow any recommendation made by the PHSO, there being previous examples of them refusing to do so.
BUT "Where There Is a Right, There is a Remedy"Joanne Welch speaking about Where there is a right, there is a remedy
The Law is on the side of 50s Women. Both International and Domestic Law have been breached.
The remedy is the gift of the Judge's report out of CEDAWinLAW, backed up by Rt Hon Sir George Howarth's Alternative Dispute Resolution cross party group, which now has 48 MPs, including 7 party leaders, and 3 peers signed up. They call for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to attend immediate settlement talks, taking account of BOTH Ongoing Maladministration and Direct Discrimination, for which there is only one legal, ethical and moral outcome, which is Full Restitution.
The standing of the Judge's report, based on a mountain of evidence including that of expert witnesses and legal argument, can surely not be questioned when the Supreme Court failed to even view the evidence, instead ruling the Judicial Review "out of time" in a decision which has also been quashed by the Judge's report as totally flawed.
The Judge's report is also backed up by four Early Day Motions which all recognised Discrimination as the real issue, signed by hundreds of MPs from ALL political parties, and numerous e-petitions including this one, which have gained over a million signatures to date
The Parliamentary will and support of the UK public for 50s Women is clearly demonstrated by these examples, links below
It is time for ALL 50s Women and their families and supporters to speak with one voice and call for rectification of the monstrous injustice done by insisting that the S0SW&P immediately attends ADRnow settlement talks
Please sign this petition!!
and ask your MP to sign the latest EDM1040 tabled by Sir George Howarth
What have 50s Women got to lose by doing this?
Links:Early Day Motions:
EDM2296 financial-restitution-to-1950s-women - 225 signatures
EDM906 providing-financial-restitution-to-women-born-in-the-1950s - 71 signatures
EDM430 financial-restitution-to-women-born-in-the-1950s 88 signatures
Some of our Petitions:
secretary-of-state-for-work-pensions-to-attend-settlement-talks-re-all-50swomen - 19,656 signatures
BackTo60_for_50sWomen State Pensions Now! 72013 signatures
parliament_to_immediately_meet_its_2019_debt_of_honour_to_50swomen 10,117 signatures
we_demand_a_uk_cedaw_commiittee_representative_now_ 18107 signatures
call-for-specialist-cedaw-training-for-parliamentarians-and-judiciary 642 signatures
uk-government-to-integrate-all-rights-in-un-cedaw-convention-into-domestic-law 18,882 signatures