I’d like to start by congratulating WASPI for their very powerful campaign drawing attention to this unfairness that we’re discussing today. In my area, there are a number of women who have come to Hywel Williams, the MP for Arfon, Liz Saville-Roberts, the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and me, and we’ve worked together with those women to establish local WASPI groups. By now, we have a WASPI group for Arfon and Anglesey and a Dwyfor Meirionnydd WASPI group. We’re continuing to support their efforts and highlighting the unfairness that has been created by the changes to the state pension Act. I know that there are other WASPI groups across Wales, and I do congratulate you on your work.

The changes are a concern for millions of people across the UK and there are more and more becoming aware of the impact. Not everyone still is aware of the far-reaching impact that this can have on the lives of women and their families.

It’s important to note that Plaid Cymru does support the principle of creating equality in terms of the state pension age. There is no reason why it’s expected that a woman would retire at a younger age than a man would. That’s not appropriate or relevant in an age of equality. There is no opposition to the principle, therefore, but I do object strongly to the process that has been adopted to drive this change forward. What we need is a transitional period that is fair for every woman who was born in the 1950s and who has been affected by these changes. The timetable as it stands doesn’t give time for women who are affected to plan for their retirement, for the reduction in the pension, which is unlike what they were planning for, and that is the message I hear time and again from the women that I work with in our local group in Arfon.

Could we dwell a moment on the situation of women generally? Women in Arfon and, indeed, in Wales will be struck particularly hard by these changes. People live longer in England than they do in Wales, income per capita is lower than it is in other parts of the UK, and, on top of that, women in Wales earn less, on average, than the men of Wales—nearly £5,000 less. Twenty-five thousand pounds is the average salary for men, and £20,000 for women, which is a great inequality.

So, while we do welcome the equal treatment of women in terms of the state pension age, we need to treat women equally in all areas—in the workplace, in terms of salaries, and in terms of life chances. It’s interesting to see that the Westminster Government is quite willing to drive forward the equality agenda when that suits them and when it does mean cutting the welfare budget, but what are they doing about equality generally in terms of the general deficiencies, and what are they doing in terms of developing other aspects of equality and getting rid of inequality? And, with all due respect, could I ask UKIP what kind of emphasis do they place on equality generally for women? It’s easy bringing this kind of issue before us, which suits them, but how about this issue generally?

Therefore, we agree with WASPI. We need to introduce equality in terms of the state pension age, but we need to do that over a longer time frame and give an opportunity to women to prepare properly for their future. These women deserve to be treated fairly. I will close with this: I have a case in my constituency of a women who was born 24 hours too late, and now she has to work two years and three months longer. That wasn’t her wish, but that’s what she has to do. That’s not fair, and Plaid Cymru has called consistently for transitional arrangements, and a bridging pension and compensation would go a long way to ameliorate that situation and to make a much more acceptable situation. But, remember, Plaid Cymru is also determined to ensure genuine equality for women across Wales, in every area. Thank you very much.