Explanatory note

These Regulations make transitional provisions for a member of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (FPS) and a member of the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (NFPS) who are no longer able to remain active members of those Schemes following the transitional provisions in Schedule 2 to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (2015 Regulations).

The Regulations has effect from 1st April 2015. Powers to give the Regulations retrospective effect is conferred by section 3(3)(b) to the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

The amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2015 Regulations provide for the ill-health benefits and survivorship benefits in relation to an active member of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2015 who is treated as an “active member” of the FPS and the NFPS for this purpose. The amendments provide when a member of these Schemes is treated as “active” and when treated as a deferred member. Consequential amendments are made for these purposes to the NFPS and the FPS.

The amendments to the Schedule also make consequential amendments in connection with the Schedule 7 to the Public Service Pension Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (final salary link). Further amendments are made in connection with this to the definitions of “pensionable pay” and “final pensionable pay” in the NFPS and to the definition of “pensionable pay” and “average pensionable pay” in the FPS.

The amendments to Schedule 1 also make provision for new entitlements to shared parental leave and statutory shared parental pay in place of additional paternity leave and additional statutory paternity pay as a consequence of Part 2 of the Work and Families Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.