Growing calls for a public inquiry into state pension age changes affecting 1950s-born women have abruptly come to nothing.
A petition on the Parliament website calling for an inquiry into the issue had reached more than 11,500 signatures, crossing the 10,000 mark meaning the Government would have to issue a response.
But now Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a General Election, all active petitions to Parliament will close on May 30, when Parliament dissolves.
Petition organiser Kay Clarke, founder of 1950’s Women of Wales, previously told Express.co.uk she was collating information to be given to the inquiry, should it take place.
This adds to the frustration of campaigners calling for compensation payouts for the 1950s women, also known as WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women. The WASPI campaign group is separate from the 1950’s Women of Wales.
With regard to petitions that have reached 10,000 signatures, the document outlines: “The Government can’t respond during the election period.
“It will be up to the new Government to decide whether to respond to petitions from before the election.”
The Election means other active petitions relating to the state pension will become defunct. This includes a petition calling for the state pension age to drop to 60, which reached 63,000 signatures.
Petitions that get 100,000 signatures are considered for debate in Parliament.
Another petition, launched by a WASPI pensioner, called for all state pensioners to get the new state pension rates.
This has reached 3,400 signatures. The full new state pension is currently £221.20 a week.
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