The Occupational Pension Schemes (Republic of Ireland Schemes Exemption (Revocation) and Tax Exempt Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments)) Regulations 2006

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Occupational Pension Schemes (Republic of Ireland Schemes Exemption (Revocation) and Tax Exempt Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments)) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 20th March 2006, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) Regulations 2, 3 and 6 to 8 shall come into force on 30th March 2006.

(3) Regulation 10 shall come into force on 6th April 2006.

(4) Regulation 4 and this regulation in so far as it applies to regulation 4 extend to Northern Ireland.

Amendment of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 1996

2.—(1) The Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 1996(1) are amended as follows.

(2) After sub-paragraph (a) of regulation 2(1) (application of these Regulations), insert—

“(aa) is a scheme which—

(i) has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions); and

(ii) is undertaking cross-border activities; or”.

(3) After paragraph (2) of regulation 2, insert—

“(2A) For the purposes of this regulation, any reference to a scheme which is undertaking cross-border activities is a reference to a scheme in relation to which the trustees or managers are—

(a) authorised under section 288 of the Pensions Act 2004 (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employers); and

(b) approved under section 289 of that Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer.”.

(4) In paragraph (1) of regulation 8 (limited disclosure requirements imposed on trustees of schemes which are not tax approved or public service pension schemes), for the words “neither regulation 2(1)(a) nor (b) refers” substitute the words “regulation 2(1)(a), (aa) and (b) do not refer,”.

Amendment of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding Up) Regulations 1996

3.—(1) The Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding Up) Regulations 1996(2) are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1) of regulation 10 (disapplication of section 38), for sub-paragraph (d), substitute—

“(d) to a scheme—

(i) which is a section 615(6) scheme; and

(ii) in relation to which the trustees or managers are not—

(aa) authorised under section 288 of the Pensions Act 2004 (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employers); or

(bb) approved under section 289 of that Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer;”.

Amendment of the Register of Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes Regulations 2005

4.—(1) The Register of Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes Regulations 2005(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (4) of regulation 1 (interpretation), after the definition of “relevant public authority”, insert—

““scheme undertaking cross-border activities” means a scheme in relation to which the trustees or managers—

(a)

are proposing to apply for authorisation, or are authorised, under section 288 of the Act (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employers); or

(b)

are proposing to apply for approval, or are approved, under section 289 of the Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer; and”.

(3) After sub-paragraph (b) of regulation 2(1) (registrable schemes), insert “or” and the following sub-paragraph—

“(c) which—

(i) has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions), and

(ii) is a scheme undertaking cross-border activities.”.

Amendment of the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) Regulations 2005

5.—(1) The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (General Levy) Regulations 2005(4) are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1) of regulation 2 (interpretation), after the definition of “the 2004 Act”, insert—

““cross-border section 615 scheme” means a scheme—

(a)

which has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions); and

(b)

in relation to which the trustees or managers are—

(i)

authorised under section 288 of the 2004 Act (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employer); and

(ii)

approved under section 289 of the 2004 Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer;”.

(3) In paragraph (1) of regulation 3 (the general levy), after “each registrable occupational pension scheme”, insert “, other than such a scheme which is a cross-border section 615 scheme,”.

Amendment of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Employer Debt) Regulations 2005

6.—(1) The Occupational Pension Schemes (Employer Debt) Regulations 2005(5) are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1) of regulation 4 (schemes to which section 75 of the 1995 Act does not apply), for sub-paragraph (g), substitute—

“(g) a scheme—

(i) which has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Taxes Act (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions); and

(ii) in relation to which the trustees or managers are not—

(aa) authorised under section 288 of the 2004 Act (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employer); or

(bb) approved under section 289 of the 2004 Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer);”.

Amendment of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding up etc.) Regulations 2005

7.—(1) The Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding up etc.) Regulations 2005(6) are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1) of regulation 3 (schemes to which section 73 of the 1995 Act does not apply), for sub-paragraph (h), substitute—

“(h) a scheme—

(i) which has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions); and

(ii) in relation to which the trustees or managers are not—

(aa) authorised under section 288 of the 2004 Act (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employer); or

(bb) approved under section 289 of the 2004 Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer;”.

Amendment of the Pensions Regulator (Contribution Notices and Restoration Orders) Regulations 2005

8.—(1) The Pensions Regulator (Contribution Notices and Restoration Orders) Regulations 2005(7) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 3 (prescribed schemes), for sub-paragraph (i), substitute—

“(i) a scheme—

(i) which has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the 1988 Act (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions), and

(ii) in relation to which the trustees or managers are not—

(aa) authorised under section 288 of the Act (general authorisation to accept contributions from European employer); or

(bb) approved under section 289 of the Act (approval in relation to particular European employer) in relation to a European employer;”.

Amendment of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Cross-border Activities) Regulations 2005

9.—(1) The Occupational Pension Schemes (Cross-border Activities) Regulations 2005 are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1) of regulation 2 (interpretation), after the definition of “seconded worker”, insert—

““section 615 scheme” means a scheme which has such a superannuation fund as is mentioned in section 615(6) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (exemption from tax in respect of certain pensions);”.

(3) In regulation 5 (applications for general authorisation to accept contributions from European employers: established schemes which are carrying on cross-border activity)—

(a) at the beginning of paragraph (2), insert “Subject to paragraph (3),”; and

(b) after paragraph (2), add—

“(3) Where—

(a) the trustees or managers of a section 615 scheme make such an application on or before 29th March 2006;

(b) that application is made in a form which—

(i) includes the full name of the scheme; and

(ii) in the case of—

(aa) a money purchase scheme, provides as much of the information specified in paragraph (2)(a) as is readily available to those trustees or managers on the day on which the application is made; or

(bb) a scheme which is not a money purchase scheme, provides as much of the information specified in paragraph (2)(b) as is readily available to those trustees or managers on the day on which the application is made; and

(c) those trustees or managers provide all of the remaining information specified in paragraph (2)(a) or (b), as the case may be, on or before 15th May 2006;

that application shall be deemed to have been made on the day on or before 29th March 2006 on which the application was first made.”.

(4) In regulation 10 (applications for approval in relation to particular European employer: established schemes which are carrying on cross-border activity)—

(a) at the beginning of paragraph (2), insert “Subject to paragraph (3),”; and

(b) after paragraph (2), add—

“(3) Where—

(a) the trustees or managers of a section 615 scheme make such an application on or before 29th March 2006;

(b) that application is made in a form which—

(i) includes the information specified in section 289(1)(a) to (c); and

(ii) in the case of—

(aa) a money purchase scheme, provides as much of the information specified in paragraph (2)(a) as is readily available to those trustees or managers on the day on which the notice of intention is given; or

(bb) a scheme which is not a money purchase scheme, provides as much of the information specified in paragraph (2)(b) as is readily available to those trustees or managers on the day on which the notice of intention is given; and

(c) those trustees or managers provide all of the remaining information specified in paragraph (2)(a) or (b), as the case may be, on or before 15th May 2006;

that application shall be deemed to have been made on the day on or before 29th March 2006 on which the notice of intention was first given.”.

Revocation

10.  The Regulations specified in column 1 of the Schedule to these Regulations are revoked to the extent specified in column 3.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Philip A Hunt

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Department for Work and Pensions

23rd February 2006