The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Consultation required before decisions to make listed changes affecting schemes

6.—(1) No person falling within regulation 3(1) may decide to make a listed change that affects an occupational or personal pension scheme unless such consultation as is required by regulation 7(3) has been carried out.

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations, a change affecting an occupational or personal pension scheme is a “listed change” if—

(a) in relation to an occupational pension scheme, it is listed in regulation 8, or

(b) in relation to a personal pension scheme, it is listed in regulation 9,

and it is not excluded by virtue of regulation 10.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not require consultation to be carried out in any of the four cases described in paragraphs (4) to (7).

(4) The first case is where the active or prospective members of the scheme to whom the listed change relates were notified before 6th April 2006 of the proposal to make the change.

(5) The second case is where, in relation to an occupational pension scheme—

(a) consultation has already been carried out under these Regulations in respect of a proposal to prevent the future accrual of benefits, as described in regulation 8(1)(c), and

(b) there is a further proposal as a result of that consultation to make a decision to reduce the rate of such accrual, as described in regulation 8(3)(d).

(6) The third case is where, in relation to an occupational pension scheme—

(a) consultation has already been carried out under these Regulations in respect of a proposal to remove the liability to make employer contributions, as described in regulation 8(1)(d), and

(b) there is a further proposal as a result of that consultation to make a decision to reduce such contributions, as described in regulation 8(2).

(7) The fourth case is where, in relation to a personal pension scheme—

(a) consultation has already been carried out under these Regulations in respect of a proposal to cease employer contributions, as described in regulation 9(a), and

(b) there is a further proposal as a result of that consultation to make a decision to reduce such contributions, as described in regulation 9(b).