THE government has been urged to provide details of a compensation scheme for women affected by how state pension changes were communicated.

Last week, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) took the “rare but necessary” decision to ask Parliament to intervene over complaints that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information about state pension reform.

MPs from all sides of the Commons urged Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride to provide details of a compensation scheme for Waspi women as quickly as possible.

Labour MP for Wirral West Margaret Greenwood said the treatment of Waspi women has led to “great hardship”.

She said: “One woman in my constituency struggled to feed herself and had to sell her home as a result. The impact has been devastating.

“It’s estimated that some 270,000 Waspi women have died since the start of the campaign in 2015 and that another dies every 13 minutes.”

Conservative former minister John Penrose said “speed is vital” in the government’s response.

He told MPs: “The Secretary of State has rightly pointed out that the actions in question between 2005-2007 didn’t happen on his watch, didn’t happen on any Conservative government’s watch, but if he delays he will stop being part of the solution and start being part of the problem himself, and he will need all the understanding and the goodwill on both sides of this House that he can possibly muster.”

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Anyone watching this today and this lengthy, convoluted statement from the minister will be left confused as to actually what is going to happen now.

“Could he tell us in words of one syllable when those women who are victims of this maladministration will be able to receive the compensation they justly deserve?”

In a statement in the Commons on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report, Mr Stride said: “We continue to take the work of the ombudsman very seriously and it is only right that we now fully and properly consider the findings and the details of what is a substantial document.

“The ombudsman has noted in his report the challenges and the complexities of this issue.

“In laying the report before Parliament, the ombudsman has brought matters to the attention of the House and we will provide a further update to the House once we have considered the report’s findings.”