Explanatory note

This Order provides for the coming into operation of section 43 of the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the 2015 Act”) which amends section 109 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 (c. 49) (“the 1993 Act”) on 9th March 2018.

This is except in relation to certain types of occupational pension scheme which are excluded by paragraphs (a) to (e) of the definition of “relevant scheme” in regulation 1(2) of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (see Article 2(2)). These include executive pension schemes, certain small schemes, public service pension schemes and schemes which provide no money purchase benefits other than those attributable to additional voluntary contributions (AVCs).

The provisions inserted into the 1993 Act by section 43 of the 2015 Act place a duty on the Department for Communities, in relation to a money purchase scheme that is an occupational pension scheme, to make regulations requiring the disclosure of information about transaction costs and requiring information on transaction costs and administrative charges to be published.