1. These Regulations may be cited as the Occupational Pension Schemes (Modification of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 and shall come into operation on 20th July 1998.
2. In connection with the coming into operation of paragraph 32 of Schedule 3 to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, with respect to any alteration made prior to 6th April 1997 to the rules of any contracted-out scheme, section 33(2) of the Pension Schemes Act(1) shall be modified so as to have effect as follows—
“(2) Regulations may provide for the validation with retrospective effect in prescribed circumstances of any alteration to the rules of a contracted-out scheme where such alteration was made prior to 6th April 1997 and was void immediately before that date by virtue of subsection (3) as then in operation.”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services on
L.S.
John O'Neill
Assistant Secretary
19th June 1998.