Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993

Approval of arrangements for schemes ceasing to be certified N.I.

46 Powers of Board to approve arrangements for scheme ceasing to be certified. N.I.

(1) In the case of an occupational pension scheme F1 ... which is or has been certified as a [F2 salary related contracted-out] scheme, the [F3 Inland Revenue] may, for the event of, or in connection with, its ceasing to be such a scheme, approve any arrangements made or to be made in relation to the scheme, or for its purposes, for the preservation or transfer—

[F4 (a) of earners’ accrued rights to guaranteed minimum pensions under the scheme or accrued rights to pensions under the scheme attributable to their service on or after the principal appointed day, and]

[F4 (b) of the liability for the payment of such pensions in respect of persons who have then become entitled to receive them.]

[F5 (1A) The power of the [F3 Inland Revenue] to approve arrangements under this section—

(a) includes power to approve arrangements subject to conditions, and

(b) may be exercised either generally or in relation to a particular scheme.

F5 (1B) Arrangements may not be approved under this section unless any prescribed conditions are met]

(2) If the scheme ceases to be a [F6 salary related contracted-out] scheme (whether by being wound up or otherwise) and the [F3 Inland Revenue] either—

(a) [F7 have] withdrawn [F8 their] approval of previously approved arrangements relating to it; or

(b) [F7 have] declined to approve arrangements relating to it,

the [F3 Inland Revenue] may issue a certificate to that effect.

(3) A certificate issued under subsection (2)(a) or (b) shall be cancelled by the [F3 Inland Revenue] if [F9 they subsequently approve] the arrangements.

(4) Regulations may provide that where the [F3 Inland Revenue] [F10 have] approved arrangements under subsection (1) in respect of an occupational pension scheme F11 ... any provision of this Part (other than sections 14, 15, [F12 27 and 29] and [F13 39 and 41]) or Chapter III of Part IV or Chapter II of Part V shall have effect subject to such modifications as may be specified in the regulations.

(5) Any such regulations shall have effect in relation to arrangements whenever approved, unless they provide that they are only to have effect in relation to arrangements approved after they come into operation.

(6) It is hereby declared that an approval of arrangements relating to an occupational pension scheme [F14 to which subsection (1) applies] may be withdrawn at any time, notwithstanding that the scheme has been wound up.

F15 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 46(1) omitted (6.4.2012) by virtue of The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(a)(i)

F2 Words in s. 46(1) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(a)(ii)

F3 Words in s. 46(1)(1A)(2)-(4) substituted (24.3.1999 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/671, arts. 1(2)(b), 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 60(2); S.R. 1999/149, art. 2(c), Sch. 2

F4 S. 46(1)(a)(b) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(a)(iii)

F5 S. 46(1A)(1B) inserted (6.4.1996 for certain purposes otherwise 6.4.1997) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), art. 147, Sch. 3 para. 37(b); S.R. 1996/91, art. 2(d), Sch. Pt. IV; S.R. 1997/192 art. 2(b)

F6 Words in s. 46(2) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(b)

F7 Words in s. 46(2)(a)(b) substituted (24.3.1999 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/671, arts. 1(2)(b), 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 60(3); S.R. 1999/149, art. 2(c), Sch. 2

F8 Word in s. 46(2)(a) substituted (24.3.1999 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/671, arts. 1(2)(b), 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 60(3); S.R. 1999/149, art. 2(c), Sch. 2

F9 Words in s. 46(3) substituted (24.3.1999 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/671, arts. 1(2)(b), 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 60(4); S.R. 1999/149, art. 2(c), Sch. 2

F10 Word in s. 46(4) substituted (24.3.1999 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/671, arts. 1(2)(b), 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 60(5); S.R. 1999/149, art. 2(c), Sch. 2

F11 Words in s. 46(4) omitted (6.4.2012) by virtue of The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(c)(i)

F12 Words in s. 46(4) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(c)(ii)

F13 Words in s. 46(4) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(c)(iii)

F14 Words in s. 46(6) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Pensions (2008 No. 2 Act) (Abolition of Protected Rights) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (S.R. 2012/124), arts. 1(b), 4(10)(d)

F15 S. 46(7) repealed (6.4.1997) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), arts. 147, 168, Sch. 3 para. 37(c), Sch. 5 Pt. III; S.R. 1997/192, art. 2(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 46 modified (28.3.1997) by S.R. 1997/192, art. 4(1) (with art. 9)

C2 S. 46 modified by S.R. 1996/493, reg. 77(3) (as substituted (6.4.2009) by The Pensions (2008 Acts) (Consequential Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009/113), arts. 1, 3(7))

47 Calculation of guaranteed minimum pensions preserved under approved arrangements. N.I.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) an earner’s guaranteed minimum pension rights or accrued rights to guaranteed minimum pensions under a scheme [F16 satisfy prescribed conditions], and

(b) one or more of the five tax years ending with the tax year in which the scheme ceases to be contracted-out is a relevant year in relation to the earner.

(2) Where this section applies then, except in such circumstances as may be prescribed, section 12(1) shall have effect, subject to the following provisions, that is to say—

(a) any earnings factor shall be taken to be that factor as increased by the last order under Article 23 of the M1 Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 or section 130 of the M2 Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 to come into operation before those five tax years; and

(b) any relevant earnings factors derived from contributions or earnings in respect of any year (“the relevant contributions year”) shall be treated as increased by 12 per cent. compound for each of those five tax years, other than any of those years which—

(i) constitutes or begins before the relevant contributions year, or

(ii) begins after the final relevant year in relation to the earner.

(3) Subsection (2) shall not apply in any case where its application would result in the amount of the guaranteed minimum being greater than it would have been apart from that subsection.

(4) Regulations may provide that subsections (1) to (3) shall have effect with prescribed modifications in relation to a scheme which, immediately before it ceased to be contracted-out, contained provisions authorised by section 12(2).

(5) In this section “relevant year” and “final relevant year” have the same meanings as in section 12.

Textual Amendments

F16 Words in s. 47(1)(a) substituted (6.4.1996 for certain purposes otherwise 6.4.1997) by S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22), art. 147, Sch. 3 para. 38; S.R. 1996/91, art. 2(d), Sch. Pt. IV; S.R. 1997/192, art. 2(b)

Marginal Citations

M1 S.I. 1975/1503 (N.I. 15).

M2 1992 c. 8.