11 June 2008
Baroness Hollis of Heigham has called on women to write to their
local MPs in support of her retabled amendment to the Pensions Bill
which would give women the right to buy back an additional nine
years of missing National Insurance (NI) contributions.
Despite receiving overwhelming support in the House of Lords,
Baroness Hollis's proposals were rejected by the Government last
year. Baroness Hollis has now changed her previous proposals so
that only women who have paid more than 20 years' NI contributions
will have the right to buy a further nine years, arguing that this
would cut the annual cost to the taxpayer from £200m to
£25m.
If her proposals are not adopted by the Government, Baroness
Hollis will push for a vote in the House of Lords next month. She
said: "I very much hope that the Government will recognise the
needs to offer women who have put others first a fair and decent
pension settlement."
