The Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Funding) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Amendment of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations

7.—(1) Until the trustees or managers of a scheme have prepared a schedule of contributions under Article 206 (in accordance with regulation 9(1) or paragraph 5 of Schedule 4), the Disclosure Regulations have effect in relation to a scheme to which Part IV of the Order applies as if—

(a) the amendments in paragraph 4 had not been made;

(b) those Regulations included the requirement in sub-paragraph (2), and

(c) regulations 1(2) (so far as material), 10 and 11 of those Regulations applied in respect of that requirement.

(2) The requirement referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) is that, before 22nd September in 2006 and each subsequent year the trustees or managers of the scheme furnish all members and beneficiaries (except excluded persons) with the following information, in the form of a summary funding statement—

(a) a summary, based on the last actuarial valuation under regulation 30 of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Minimum Funding Requirement and Actuarial Valuations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (“the MFR Regulations”) received by the trustees or managers or, if no such valuation was obtained, the last actuarial valuation under the rules of the scheme, of the extent to which the assets of the scheme are adequate to meet its liabilities as they fall due;

(b) an explanation of any change in the funding position of the scheme—

(i) in the case of the first summary statement issued in respect of the scheme, since the last actuarial valuation in respect of the scheme under regulation 30 of the MFR Regulations or, if no such valuation was obtained, since the last actuarial valuation under the rules of the scheme, and

(ii) in the case of any subsequent summary funding statement, since the date of the last summary funding statement;

(c) any estimate by the actuary of the solvency of the scheme, or, if the actuary has made more than one estimate of solvency, the latest such estimate;

(d) whether any payment has been made to the employer under Article 37 of the 1995 Order—

(i) in the case of the first summary funding statement issued in respect of the scheme, in the 12 months preceding the date on which it is prepared, and

(ii) in the case of any subsequent summary funding statement, since the date of the last such statement,

and if so, the amount of the payment.

(3) The trustees or managers of a scheme are not required to comply with the requirement in sub-paragraph (2) in any year if the scheme had fewer than 100 members during the 12 months ending on 31st August in that year.

(4) A summary funding statement furnished under sub-paragraph (2) must be accompanied by a written statement that further information about the scheme is available, giving the address to which enquiries about it should be sent.