The Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999

Supplementary

Disapplication of restrictions on alienation

41.  Nothing in any of the following provisions (restrictions on alienation of pension rights) applies in relation to any order or provision falling within Article 25(1)—

(a) section 155(4) and (4A) of the Pension Schemes Act,

(b) Article 89 of the Pensions Order,

(c) any statutory provision (whether passed or made before or after this Order is made) corresponding to any of the statutory provisions mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b), and

(d) any provision of a pension arrangement corresponding to any of those statutory provisions.

Information

42.—(1) The Department may by regulations require the person responsible for a pension arrangement involved in pension sharing to supply to such persons as it may specify in the regulations such information relating to anything which follows from the application of Article 26 as it may so specify.

(2) Section 164 of the Pension Schemes Act (breach of regulations) shall apply as if this Article were contained in that Act (otherwise than in Chapter II of Part VII).

(3) For the purposes of this Article, a pension arrangement is involved in pension sharing if Article 26 applies by virtue of an order or provision which relates to the arrangement.

Interpretation of Chapter I

43.—(1) In this Chapter—

• “implementation period”, in relation to a pension credit, has the meaning given by Article 31;

• “occupational pension scheme” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Pension Schemes Act;

• “pension arrangement” means—

  (a)

  an occupational pension scheme,

  (b)

  a personal pension scheme,

  (c)

  a retirement annuity contract,

  (d)

  an annuity or insurance policy purchased, or transferred, for the purpose of giving effect to rights under an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme, and

  (e)

  an annuity purchased, or entered into, for the purpose of discharging liability in respect of a credit under Article 26(1)(b) or under section 29(1)(b) of the Welfare Reform Act;

• “pension credit” means a credit under Article 26(1)(b);

• “pension debit” means a debit under Article 26(1)(a);

• “pensionable service”, in relation to a member of an occupational pension scheme, means service in any description or category of employment to which the scheme relates which qualifies the member (on the assumption that it continues for the appropriate period) for pension or other benefits under the scheme;

• “personal pension scheme” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Pension Schemes Act;

• “retirement annuity contract” means a contract or scheme approved under Chapter III of Part XIV of the[1988 c. 1.] Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988;

• “shareable rights” has the meaning given by Article 24(2);

• “trustees or managers”, in relation to an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme means—

  (a)

  in the case of a scheme established under a trust, the trustees of the scheme, and

  (b)

  in any other case, the managers of the scheme.

(2) In this Chapter, references to the person responsible for a pension arrangement are—

(a) in the case of an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme, to the trustees or managers of the scheme,

(b) in the case of a retirement annuity contract or an annuity falling within paragraph (d) or (e) of the definition of

• “pension arrangement” in paragraph (1), to the provider of the annuity, and

  (c)

  in the case of an insurance policy falling within paragraph (d) of the definition of that expression, to the insurer.

(3) In determining what is “pensionable service” for the purposes of this Chapter—

(a) service notionally attributable for any purpose of the scheme is to be disregarded, and

(b) no account is to be taken of any rules of the scheme by which a period of service can be treated for any purpose as being longer or shorter than it actually is.