The Judicial Pensions (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2020 No. 10

Public Service Pensions

The Judicial Pensions (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

10th January 2020

Coming into operation

1st April 2020

The Department of Justice makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of, and paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 to, the Public Services Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014(1).

In accordance with section 22(2)(a) of that Act, the Department of Justice has consulted such persons and representatives of such persons as appear to it likely to be affected by these Regulations with a view to reaching agreement with them.

In accordance with section 22(2)(b) of that Act, the Department of Justice has laid a report before the Assembly.

In accordance with section 3(5) of that Act, the Department of Finance(2) has consented to the making of these Regulations.

The Department of Justice has had regard to the matters referred to in section 5(4) of that Act.

In accordance with section 24(1)(c) of that Act, the pension board for the scheme for holders of judicial office has stated that it considers these Regulations to be minor or wholly beneficial.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Judicial Pensions (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and come into operation on 1st April 2020.

Amendment to the Judicial Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

2.  In regulation 124 of the Judicial Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015(3)—

(a) in paragraph (4)—

(i) for “a table set out in” substitute “the table at the end of”;

(ii) for “the table” substitute “column 2 of the table”;

(iii) after “rate of pensionable earnings” insert “(see column 1 of the table)”;

(b) after paragraph (4) insert—

“(4A) The figures in column 1 of the table (except for the figures of £150,001) are increased on 1st April 2021 and on 1st April of each subsequent scheme year, if there is a relevant increase in the consumer prices index, by appropriate percentage for the scheme year, rounded up to the nearest £1.

(4B) There is a relevant increase in the consumer prices index for a scheme year if the consumer prices index for the month of September before that scheme year is higher than that for the previous September.

(4C) The appropriate percentage for the scheme year is the same percentage as the percentage increase in the consumer prices index.”;

(c) after paragraph (8) insert—

“(9) In this regulation, “the consumer prices index” means the all items consumer prices index published by the Statistics Board, a body corporate established by section 1 of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007(4).”;

(d) for the tables at the end substitute—

“Contributions table for scheme year 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021

Column 1 Annualised rate of pensionable earnings	Column 2 Member contributions rate
Up to but not including £22,005	4.6%
£22,005 to but not including £52,392	5.45%
£52,392 to but not including £150,001	7.35%
£150,001 and above	8.05%”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 10th January 2020

Peter May

A senior officer of the Department of Justice

The Department of Finance consents to the foregoing Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 10th January 2020

Emer Morelli

A senior officer of the Department of Finance

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Judicial Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”) make provision for the contributions payable by members of the scheme constituted by the 2015 Regulations.

These Regulations provide that the contribution rates currently applicable for the scheme are to continue to apply from 1st April 2020 onwards. New earning thresholds (except for £150,001 and above) are set for those contribution rates from 1st April 2020 in line with the increase of the consumer prices index in September 2019 published by the Statistics Board. Those earning thresholds (except for £150,001 and above) will continue to uprate in April each year in line with increases in the consumer prices index of the previous September.

Since these Regulations involve a change to a protected element of the scheme constituted by the 2015 Regulations, the Department of Justice has consulted such persons and representatives of such persons as appear to it likely to be affected by the change with a view to reaching agreement with them and has laid a report before the Assembly as required by section 22 of the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014. In accordance with section 24(1) of that Act, the pension board for the scheme constituted by the 2015 Regulations has stated that it considers these Regulations to be minor or wholly beneficial.

The executive function of the Statistics Board is known at the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the monthly all items consumer prices index is available on its website at www.ons.gov.uk. The contact details for the ONS are as follows, address: Government Buildings, Cardiff Road, Newport, South Wales, NP10 8XG and telephone number: 0845 601 3034.

An equality impact screening and a rural needs impact assessment have been produced for this statutory rule and are available at https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-member-contributions-2020-onwards.

(1)

2014 c.2 (N.I.).

(2)

Formerly the Department of Finance and Personnel, see section 1(4) and (11) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c. 5 (N.I.)).

(3)

S.R. 2015/76 amended by S.R. 2019/26; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

(4)

2007 c. 18.