Explanatory note

This Order amends the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme established by the British Coal Corporation under section 37 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 to provide for the Union of Democratic Mineworkers to participate in the administration of the Scheme in addition to the National Union of Mineworkers.

Under the amendments to the Scheme, which are contained in the Schedule to the Order, each union is to be entitled to appoint members of the Committee of Management according to the proportion of contributing members of the Scheme which it represents (paragraph 4) and consequential and other amendments are made to the provisions regulating the proceedings of the Committee.

Similar rights are conferred with respect to the Rules Amendment Committee established to approve amendments to the Scheme (paragraphs 12 and 13). The represented unions are together to appoint a Joint Deputy Chairman and may each appoint a Joint Secretary of the two Committees (paragraphs 7, 10 and 13).