The Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation), Health and Social Care (Pension Scheme) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (S.R. 1995 No.95) (“the 1995 Regulations”), the Health and Social Care (Pension Scheme) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008 No.256) (“the 2008 Regulations”).

Regulation 1 provides for citation, commencement and effect, including that certain provisions of this rule are to take effect before the date of commencement. Article 14(1) of the Superannuation Order 1972 provides authority for the regulations specified in regulation 1(3) to take effect from a date earlier than the making of these regulations.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 73J (Revaluation of increases bought under options: members’ pensions) of the 1995 Regulations to draw a distinction between increases in a member’s pension where the option to purchase such an increase has been exercised on or before 31 March 2011 and where the option was exercised on or after 1 April 2011. In the case of the former, the calculation of the increase relies in part on the “retail prices index”. In the case of the latter, the calculation of that increase relies in part on the “prices index” which is defined in such a way as to link to the Pension (Increases) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 and increases to official pensions under that Act.

Regulation 4 amends previous incorrectly numbered paragraphs in regulations 89A.

Regulation 5 corrects a typographical error in regulation 97.

Regulations 7 and 8 amend regulations 43 and 174 of the 2008 Regulations respectively (which deal with the revaluation of increases bought under options: members’ pensions for officers and practitioners respectively) of the 2008 Regulations in the same way as regulation 3 amends regulation 73J of the 1995 Regulations.