PART IV Miscellaneous and General

Adjudication

86F1 References and appeals from the two Boards. C1

1

Any question of law arising in connection with—

a

any matter arising under Part II of this Act F2or Part III or IV of the Pensions Actfor determination by the Occupational Pensions Board;

b

any matter which F3under section 60(2) of the Pensions Act falls to be determined by that Board;

c

any matter arising on an application to F4that Boardfor a review of a determination by that Board, or on a review by F4that Boardentered upon without an application,

may, if the Board . . . F5think fit, be referred for decision to the court.

2

In this section “the court” means—

a

in England and Wales, the High Court;

b

in Scotland, the Court of Session; and

c

in Northern Ireland, the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland.

3

In the event of F6the Occupational Pensions Boarddetermining in accordance with subsection (1) above to refer any question of law to the court, they shall give notice in writing of their intention to do so—

a

in a case where the question arises on an application made to the Board, to the applicant; and

b

in any case to such persons as appear to them to be concerned with the question.

4

Any person aggrieved—

a

by a determination of the Occupational Pensions Board given on a review under section 67 of this Act, or by the refusal of that Board to review a determination; or

b

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where the determination in either case involves a question of law and that question is not referred by the Board . . . F5 to the court under subsection (1) above, may on that question appeal from the determination to the court.

5

The Board . . . F5shall be entitled to appear and be heard on any reference or appeal under this section.

C26

The provision made by rules of court or by rules of court made under section 55 of the M1Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 shall include provision for regulating references and appeals to the court under this section and for limiting the time in which such appeals may be brought.

7

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8

Notwithstanding anything in any enactment, the decision of the court on a reference or appeal under this section shall be final; and on any such reference or appeal the court may order the Board . . . F5to pay the costs or, in Scotland, the expenses of any other person, whether or not the decision is in that other person’s favour and whether or not the Board appear on the reference or appeal.

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