A SCOTTISH MP has accused the UK Government of ducking its responsibility to women who will lose out through its plans to reform pensions.

Ronnie Cowan, the SNP member for Inverclyde, is taking up the WASPI case — Women Against State Pension Inequality — and has written to Pensions Secretary David Gauke, urging the government to reconsider its proposals.

He said the Pensions Act 2011 accelerated the timetable for increases in women’s State Pension Age (SPA) in the UK, with women’s SPA rising from 63 to 65 between this April and November 2018, and from 65 to 66 by October 2020.

Cowan said: “During my time as Member of Parliament for Inverclyde I have been approached by a number of women who are adversely affected by the changes to state pension age.

“I joined many of them in Glasgow, last month, at a day of action to highlight our concerns to the UK Government’s proposals.

“The UK Government have ducked their responsibility to the WASPI women for too long. It’s time for action to be taken to support the women of Inverclyde and Scotland as a whole.

“Therefore, I have written to the newly appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to urge the UK Government to re-consider its proposals and provide the women affected with the pensions they are entitled to and deserve.”

In his letter Cowan outlined the changes that were causing concern, and added: “As you will be aware, around 3,900 women in my constituency of Inverclyde are affected by these changes.

“Given your recent appointment as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, I would be grateful if you would indicate if your office will be looking at this issue in more detail.”

The changes will see women born after April 6 1951 retire at around 63 instead of 60, while others will wait until after they turn 65.

It will end the age disparity between men and women and was first set out in 1995, for implementation between 2010 and 2020.

However, the coalition government brought the plans forward in 2011, and campaigners say those women affected have been denied the notice they need to make changes to their retirement plans, hitting many in the pocket — some by as much as £50,000.

The WASPI women welcome removal of the age disparity, but thousands of them previously gathered at Westminster to push then Chancellor Philip Hammond for “fair transitional” arrangements, as well as compensation for losses affecting those who had already reached state pension age.

They have won support from SNP MPs Ian Blackford and Mhairi Black, who has said the women were being “shafted and short-changed”.

Blackford previously said the UK Government should think about establishing an independent pensions commission to “fully investigate the effects of the pension reforms”.