Gordon MP receives update on WASPI situation
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Gordon MP Richard Thomson has received an update from the Parliamentary Ombudsman following an approach he made on behalf of WASPI women in the constituency.
In a response to the local MP, the Parliamentary Ombudsman stated: “We had intended to publish our final report by the end of March 2023.
"With the legal challenge brought against us, we agreed to look again at part of our stage 2 report.
"We believe this cooperative approach will provide the quickest route to remedy for those affected and reduce the delay to the publication of our final report.
"Whilst this reconsideration is ongoing, and as we are required by law to investigate in private, we are not able to provide any further comment or update.
“We are confident that we have completed a fair and impartial investigation and, as an independent Ombudsman, will set out the evidence of this in our final report.”
In March, the SNP MP met with a group of WASPI women who had travelled from all parts of Scotland to attend a demonstration outside the UK Parliament. Mr Thomson, and other MPs, met with the group afterwards at a meeting in the House of Commons.
Commenting, Richard Thomson MP said: “Since being elected as an MP in 2019, women from across Gordon have been in contact with me about the quite outrageous position in which they have been left by the UK Government.
“There are thousands of women across the north-east who have been badly impacted by the UK Government’s failure to treat them fairly and the WASPI women have my full, unequivocal support.
“Whilst it is disappointing that the Ombudsman’s report has been delayed, the concerns expressed which led to the legal challenge have resulted in some further work being done on Stage 2 of the report, which I trust means the report and its findings will be more robust, hopefully to the benefit of those who are affected.
“I know the WASPI women are determined to continue their fight for justice and in that they continue to have my backing all the way.”
