Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993

Supervision of formerly certified schemes N.I.

48 Supervision of schemes which have ceased to be certified. N.I.

(1) Section 49 shall apply for the purpose of making provision for securing the continued supervision of occupational pension schemes as respects which subsection (2) applies and section 50 shall apply for the purpose of making corresponding provision in relation to personal pension schemes as respects which subsection (3) applies.

(2) This subsection applies as respects any occupational pension scheme, other than a public service pension scheme, where—

(a) the scheme has ceased to be a contracted-out scheme otherwise than by being wound up; and

(b) there has not been a payment of a premium under section 51(1) in respect—

(i) of each person entitled to receive, or having accrued rights to, guaranteed minimum pensions under the scheme; or

(ii) of each person who has protected rights under it or is entitled to any benefit giving effect to protected rights under it.

(3) This subsection applies as respects any personal pension scheme where—

(a) the scheme has ceased to be an appropriate scheme otherwise than by being wound up; and

(b) there has not been a payment of a premium under section 51(1) in respect of each person who has protected rights under it or is entitled to any benefit giving effect to protected rights under it.

(4) Section 49 shall continue to apply so long as there is any such person as is mentioned in paragraph (b)(i) or (ii) of subsection (2) (but, where by virtue of section 15 a scheme has ceased to be liable to provide guaranteed minimum pensions for a member and the member’s widow or widower, the duties imposed on the Board by section 49 shall cease to subsist in relation to those pensions), and section 50 shall continue to apply so long as there is any such person as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (3).

(5) For the purposes of subsections (2) and (4) a person in respect of whom a premium is not payable by virtue of regulation 17(2A) of the M1 Occupational Pension Schemes (Contracting-out) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1985 shall not be treated as such a person as is mentioned in paragraph (b)(ii) of subsection (2).

(6) For the purposes of subsections (3) and (4) a person in respect of whom a premium is not payable by virtue of regulation 3 of the M2 Personal Pension Schemes (Personal Pension Protected Rights Premiums) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 shall not be treated as such a person as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (3).

Marginal Citations

M1 S.R. (N.I.) 1985 No. 259.

M2 S.R. (N.I.) 1987 No. 289.

49 Supervision: former contracted-out schemes. N.I.

(1) The Board shall be under a duty to satisfy themselves as to—

(a) the matters in respect of which they are required to be satisfied for contracting-out purposes under sections 19(1) and 20(1) or, as the case may be, under section 26(1); and

(b) the soundness and adequacy of any investments held for the purposes of the scheme (so far as relevant to the considerations of section 20(1)).

(2) Where the scheme was contracted-out subject to such conditions as are referred to in section 21(1) and (2) those conditions shall continue to be binding, notwithstanding that there is no contracting-out certificate in force.

[F1 (3) If a certificate has been issued under subsection (2) of section 46 and has not been cancelled under subsection (3) of that section, any liabilities in respect of such entitlement or rights as are referred to in section 48(2A)(a) or (b) must, except in prescribed circumstances, be discharged (subject to any directions under subsection (1)) in a prescribed manner and within a prescribed period or such longer period as the Department may allow.]

(4) If it appears to the Board that there has been, or is likely to be, a breach of any rule of the scheme relating to the matters dealt with in sections 5(2) and 9 to 21 or, as the case may be, sections 5(3) and 22 to 28, the Board may take such steps as they think expedient with a view to remedying or preventing the breach.

(5) For that purpose they may themselves take any proceedings for enforcement of the rules which would be open to a person—

(a) as an actual or prospective beneficiary under the scheme, or

(b) as one of its trustees or managers, or

(c) as being otherwise concerned with the scheme or its benefits,

and may assume the conduct of proceedings for enforcement brought by any such person.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 49(3) substituted (6.4.1996 for certain purposes otherwiseprosp.) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(2), 147, Sch. 3 para. 40(c); S.R. 1996/91, art. 2(d), Sch. Pt. IV

50 Supervision: former appropriate personal pension schemes. N.I.

[F2 (1) The Department may direct the trustees or managers of the scheme to take or refrain from taking such steps as the Department may specify in writing; and such a direction shall be final and binding on the person directed and any person claiming under him.

(1A) An appeal on a point of law shall lie to the High Court from a direction under subsection (1) at the instance of the trustees or managers or the employer, or any person claiming under them.

(1B) A direction under subsection (1) shall be enforceable as if it were an order of the county court.

(2) If a certificate has been issued under subsection (2) of section not been cancelled under subsection (3) of that section, any liabilities in respect of such entitlement or rights as are referred to in section 48(3)(b) must, except in prescribed circumstances, be discharged (subject to any directions under subsection (1)) in a prescribed manner and within a prescribed period or such longer period as the Department may allow.]

(3) If it appears to the Board that there has been, or is likely to be, a breach of any rule of the scheme relating to the matters dealt with in sections 5(5) and 22 to 28, the Board may take such steps as they think expedient with a view to remedying or preventing the breach, and section 49(5) applies for that purpose as it applies for the purpose there mentioned.

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 50 (1)(1A)(1B)(2) substituted (6.4.1996 for certain purposes otherwiseprosp.) by s. 50(1)(2) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 1(2), 147, Sch. 3 para. 41(a); S.R. 1996/91, art. 2(d), Sch. Pt. IV