129.—(1) Section 15 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (discharge of guaranteed minimum pension secured by insurance policies or annuity contracts) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (4)(a)—
(a)for “insurance company” substitute “insurer”; and
(b)in sub-paragraph (i), the word “ordinary” is repealed.
(3) Subsection (7) is repealed.
130.—(1) Section 25 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (the pension and annuity requirements) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (3)(b) for “insurance company” substitute “insurer”.
(3) In subsection (4), for “insurance company”, in both places, substitute “insurer”.
131. In section 28A of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (discharge of protected rights on winding up: insurance policies), in subsection (4)—
(a)for “insurance company” substitute “insurer”; and
(b)in sub-paragraph (i), the word “ordinary” and the words “(within the meaning of the Insurance Companies Act 1982)” are repealed.
132.—(1) Section 34 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (alteration of rules of appropriate schemes: permitted forms) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (6), in paragraph (b) for the words from “has” to the end substitute “is an authorised unit trust scheme”.
(3) After that subsection, insert—
“(6A) “Authorised unit trust scheme” has the meaning given in Part 17 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and includes any scheme which is, as a result of an order under section 426 of that Act making transitional provisions, treated as falling within that meaning.”
133. In section 91(2)(c) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (ways of taking rights to cash equivalent) for “insurance companies” substitute “insurers”.
134. In section 97F(2)(b) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (authorised purposes for transfer notice) for “insurance companies” substitute “insurers”.
135. In section 145(6) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (procedure on an investigation by the Pensions Ombudsman: persons to whom information may be disclosed)—
(a)paragraphs (f) and (g) are repealed;
(b)for paragraph (i) to (l) substitute—
“(i)a person appointed under—
(i)Part 14 of the Companies Act 1985,
(ii)section 167 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000,
(iii)subsection (3) or (5) of section 168 of that Act, or
(iv)section 284 of that Act,
to conduct an investigation;
(j)a body designated under section 326(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000; and
(k)a recognised investment exchange or a recognised clearing house (as defined by section 285 of that Act).”.
136.—(1) The table set out in section 154A(1) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (power of Department to disclose social security information for certain purposes) is amended as follows.
(2) The entries relating to the following persons are repealed—
The Treasury;
The Friendly Societies Commission;
The Building Societies Commission;
An inspector appointed by the Secretary of State;
A person authorised to exercise powers under section 106 of the Financial Services Act 1986;
A designated agency or transferee body or the competent authority (within the meaning of the Financial Services Act 1986); and
A recognised self-regulating organisation, recognised professional body, recognised investment exchange or recognised clearing house (within the meaning of the Financial Services Act 1986).
(3) In the entry relating to the Financial Services Authority, for the second column, substitute—
| “Functions under the legislation relating to friendly societies, under the Building Societies Act 1986, or under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.”. |
(4) After the entry relating to the Pensions Compensation Board insert—
“A person appointed under— (a) section 167 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (b) subsection (3) or (5) of section 168 of that Act, or (c) section 284 of that Act, to conduct an investigation. | Functions in relation to that investigation. |
| A body designated under section 326(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. | Functions in its capacity as a body designated under that section. |
| A recognised investment exchange or a recognised clearing house (as defined by section 285 of that Act). | Functions in its capacity as an exchange or clearing house recognised under that Act.”. |
137.—(1) In the Pensions Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993, after section 175 insert—
175A.—(1) In this Act “insurer” means—
(a)a person who has permission under Part 4 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to effect or carry out contracts of insurance, or
(b)an EEA firm of the kind mentioned in paragraph 5(d) of Schedule 3 to that Act, which has permission under paragraph 15 of that Schedule (as a result of qualifying for authorisation under paragraph 12 of that Schedule) to effect or carry out contracts of insurance.
(2) In this Act “long term insurance business” means business which consists of the effecting or carrying out of contracts of long-term insurance.
(3) This section must be read with—
(a)section 22 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;
(b)any relevant order under that section; and
(c)Schedule 2 to that Act.”.
(2) In section 176(1) of that Act, the definition of “insurance company” is repealed.
138. In section 180(1) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (consultation on regulations concerning removal of restrictions on pension business of friendly societies), for the words “Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies” substitute “Financial Services Authority or, if the matter concerns section 464 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, the Commissioners of the Inland Revenue”.