Politics: Scottish Government will continue to campaign for WASPI women
Happy New Year to all of my constituents. I hope you managed to have a restful Christmas period with family and friends, writes Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin.
Firstly, I would like to say thank you to all the staff who have been out over the last couple of weeks managing the harsh weather conditions we have been experiencing as a result of the heavy snow fall.
Without the hard work of gritters, council staff and volunteers many people would have been unable to get to work and to commute.
Thank you to everyone who has helped to make our streets and roads safer while we have been experiencing the snowy conditions.
The Scottish Government is encouraging everyone to ensure they take the opportunity to get their flu jabs if they are eligible.
Scotland had the highest uptake of flu vaccines amongst people over 65 in the UK last winter, with research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) showing that 79.8 per cent of people over 65 in Scotland received their winter flu vaccine.
This was a higher percentage than in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. And the latest figures show that so far this winter 53.6 per cent of eligible adults in NHS Grampian have received their flu and Covid-19 vaccines.
Constituents have until March 31 to receive their jags but are being encouraged to book an appointment as soon as possible to protect them against serious illness this winter.
Other eligible groups for the double dose flu and Covid-19 vaccination include pregnant women, people with certain health conditions and frontline health workers.
Those entitled to the flu-only vaccination include primary and secondary school pupils, unpaid carers and the homeless. Please, if you have not yet done so, make an appointment to receive the vaccine.
New figures from SPICe reveal how many women in the north-east may have lost out on pension payments.
As a result of the DWP’s failure to inform them of changes to the state pension age, it is estimated that a total of 355,910 women across Scotland did not receive money they were entitled to.
In Aberdeenshire, the figure stands at 16,560 women while in neighbouring Aberdeen City the number is 11,360.
Following their electoral victory in July last year, the UK Labour government have reneged on their promise to compensate these women.
The Scottish Government however continues to call for the WASPI Women to receive the compensation they deserve, doing so again in a Holyrood debate this week.
The Labour government’s betrayal of the WASPI Women is utterly shameful. As many as 16,560 across Aberdeenshire have lost out as a result of a UK government mistake, and many have tirelessly campaigned for decades to right this wrong.
For the Labour Party – after mere months in power – to break their promise to compensate these women is wrong and an enormous breach of trust.
The Scottish Government will continue to campaign alongside the WASPI Women for the compensation they deserve. I urge the Labour government to see sense and U-turn on their decision.