Citation, commencement, interpretation and extent1

• “the 1993 Act” means the Pension Schemes Act 1993;

• “the Northern Ireland Act” means the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993;

• “the low earnings threshold”, in relation to a tax year, means the low earnings threshold for that tax year as specified in—

  1. a

     section 44A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 M1 (deemed earnings factors); or

  2. b

     in relation to Northern Ireland, section 44A(5) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 M2 (deemed earnings factors);

• “qualifying earnings factor”, in relation to a tax year, has the same meaning as in—

  1. a

     section 122(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (interpretation); or

  2. b

     in relation to Northern Ireland, section 121(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (interpretation);

• “the upper earnings threshold” means 3LET minus 2QEF, where—

  1. a

     3LET means the amount produced by multiplying the low earnings threshold by 3; and

  2. b

     2QEF means the amount produced by doubling the qualifying earnings factor and rounding the resulting figure to the nearest whole £100 (taking any amount of £50 as nearest to the previous whole £100);

• “relevant tax year” means any of the following tax years—

  1. a

     2007-2008;

  2. b

     2008-2009;

  3. c

     2009-2010;

  4. d

     2010-2011;

  5. e

     2011-2012.