Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-16160, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on Women Against State Pension Inequality. Members who wis...

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I do not think that those buttons are working to allow us to indicate that we want to speak.

The Presiding Officer NPA

I can certainly see those buttons on my screen. I thank Mr Balfour for raising that issue and we will keep an eye on it. I call the cabinet secretary. 14:32

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

The Scottish Government has consistently called on the United Kingdom Government to right the historic wrongs suffered by the WASPI women. The First Minister...

Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I support the cabinet secretary’s remarks so far. I hope that she is right that the Parliament will speak with one voice today. Will she give an update on di...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Certainly. There have been numerous letters and debating points that we have discussed with the UK Government. I stand ready to send yet another letter to th...

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

The cabinet secretary’s remarks completely fail to acknowledge the UK Labour Government’s commitment to the pension triple lock—a commitment that I hope she ...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I share any concern about the triple lock being diminished. Quite frankly, however, Mr O’Kane’s party is in Government now and he needs to take responsibilit...

The Presiding Officer NPA

I call Paul O’Kane to speak to and move amendment S6M-16160.1. 14:47

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I will begin, as I have done in debates in which I have spoken on this topic in this chamber in my four years in Parliament, by acknowledging all the WASPI w...

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

Will the member take an intervention?

Paul O’Kane Lab

Presiding Officer, I am afraid that I am finding it very difficult to hear. I do not know whether that is due to the gallery clearing or as a result of noise...

The Presiding Officer NPA

Thank you, Mr O’Kane. I appreciate that. We will just allow a moment for the gallery to clear.

Paul O’Kane Lab

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I was about to make the point that there has been an undertaking to learn from the experience, to understand what the issues ar...

Jeremy Balfour Con

Does the member think that it was wrong for the Prime Minister to stand up and say that he would compensate the WASPI women? Should he fully apologise for no...

Paul O’Kane Lab

I think that it was wrong of Mr Balfour’s party not to engage with the PHSO report in any meaningful way in the previous UK parliamentary session and, indeed...

George Adam (Paisley) (SNP) SNP

On the point about the Labour apology, will Mr O’Kane tell me how much, in cash terms, in the open market, a Labour apology is worth to those WASPI women who...

The Presiding Officer NPA

Mr O’Kane, before you respond, I gently remind our visitors, who are very welcome to their Parliament, that applause or any other contributions from the publ...

Paul O’Kane Lab

I am coming on to that point about that disappointment and what else I feel could be done. An apology is important, and I have outlined why. I gently say to...

The Presiding Officer NPA

Let us hear Mr O’Kane.

Paul O’Kane Lab

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer.

Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) SNP

Will Mr O’Kane give way?

Paul O’Kane Lab

Not at this stage. I have much to get through, as Mr Stewart will appreciate. I recognise the importance of what the ombudsman has said about the apology an...

Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) SNP

On Paul O’Kane’s point about paying a fair level of compensation, surely the UK Government should be paying the full level of money that has been taken away ...

Paul O’Kane Lab

I have to say to the member that, in a spirit of consensus, I am trying to make points relating to the PHSO report, and the PHSO has outlined a number of rec...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Just to be clear, in the statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions setting out the UK Government position, she did not say, “I don’t agree wi...

Paul O’Kane Lab

As I have said previously, in this speech and in my other contributions on this matter, the door should not be closed and there is a process that should be e...

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

Like the two previous speakers, I welcome the WASPI women to Parliament today, as I did last Wednesday, when Kenny Gibson led an excellent debate in which we...

Paul O’Kane Lab

Made a request to intervene.

Douglas Ross Con

I will give way to Paul O’Kane when I have read out Liz Kendall’s response, and I would like him to either agree or disagree with what she said. In her state...