PART IIOccupational Pensions
Independent trustees
Circumstances in which following provisions apply22 F1
1 F1
This Article applies in relation to a trust scheme—
a
if a person (referred to in this Article and Articles 23F2 to 26 as “the practitioner”) begins to act as an insolvency practitioner in relation to a company which, or an individual who, is the employer in relation to the scheme, or
b
if the official receiver becomes—
i
the liquidator or provisional liquidator of a company which is the employer in relation to the scheme,F2. . .
F2ia
the interim receiver of the property of a person who is the employer in relation to the scheme, or
ii
the receiver and the manager, or the trustee, of the estate of a bankrupt who is the employer in relation to the scheme.
2 F1
Where this Article applies in relation to a schemeF2 by virtue of paragraph (1), it ceases to do so—
a
if some person other than the employer mentioned in paragraph (1) becomes the employer, or
b
if at any time neither the practitioner nor the official receiver is acting in relation to the employer;
but this paragraph does not affect the application of this Article in relation to the scheme on any subsequent occasion when the conditions specified in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) are satisfied in relation to it.
F22A F1
To the extent that it does not already apply by virtue of paragraph (1), this Article also applies in relation to a trust scheme—
a
at any time during an assessment period (within the meaning of Article 116 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005) in relation to the scheme, and
b
at any time, not within sub-paragraph (a), when the scheme is authorised under Article 137 of that Order (closed schemes) to continue as a closed scheme.
F22B F1
The responsible person must, as soon as reasonably practicable, give notice of an event within paragraph (2C) to—
a
the Authority,
b
the Board of the Pension Protection Fund, and
c
the trustees of the scheme.
2C F1
The events are—
a
the practitioner beginning to act as mentioned in paragraph (1)(a), if immediately before he does so this Article does not apply in relation to the scheme;
b
the practitioner ceasing to so act, if immediately after he does so this Article does not apply in relation to the scheme;
c
the official receiver beginning to act in a capacity mentioned in paragraph (1)(b)(i), (ia) or (ii), if immediately before he does so this Article does not apply in relation to the scheme;
d
the official receiver ceasing to act in such a capacity, if immediately after he does so this Article does not apply in relation to the scheme.
2D F1
For the purposes of paragraph (2B) “the responsible person” means—
a
in the case of an event within paragraph (2C)(a) or (b), the practitioner, and
b
in the case of an event within paragraph (2C)(c) or (d), the official receiver.
2E F1
Regulations may require prescribed persons in prescribed circumstances where this Article begins or ceases to apply in relation to a trust scheme by virtue of paragraph (2A) to give a notice to that effect to—
a
the Authority,
b
the Board of the Pension Protection Fund, and
c
the trustees of the scheme.
2F F1
A notice under paragraph (2B), or under regulations under paragraph (2E), must be in writing and contain such information as may be prescribed.
“acting as an insolvency practitioner” and “official receiver” shall be construed in accordance with Articles 3 and 2 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, “bankrupt” has the meaning given by Article 9 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989F3,
“company” means a company F4as defined in section 1(1) of the Companies Act 2006 or a company which may be wound up under Part VI of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (unregistered companies).