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Explanatory note

Original text. Later amendments are not shown.

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make provision for certain records to be kept under section 16 of the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (“the 2014 Act”) by the scheme manager of—

  • a scheme established under section 1 of the 2014 Act;

  • a new public body pension scheme under section 31 of the 2014 Act;

  • any statutory pension scheme which is connected with a scheme referred to above.

Regulation 4 contains provision concerning the information relating to members and beneficiaries which must be retained.

Regulation 5 contains provision concerning the information on transactions which must be retained.

Regulation 6 contains provision concerning the records of pension board meetings and decisions, and decisions of any committees or sub-committees of the pension board, which must be retained.

Regulation 7 substitutes regulation 16A of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (“the Scheme Administration Regulations”). Under Article 49 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (“the 1995 Order”) trustees or managers must notify the Pensions Regulator and the member where there is a late payment of a contribution where such late payment is likely to be of material significance to the Pensions Regulator’s functions. Regulation 16A of the Scheme Administration Regulations sets out exemptions to that duty. The amendments mean that managers of public service pension schemes under the 2014 Act cannot benefit from the exemption and will now be subject to the duty to notify.

Regulation 8 makes consequential revocations.

Article 4(c) of the Public Service Pensions (2014 Act) (Commencement No. 1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2014 (S.R. 2014 No. 123 (C. 4)) provides for the coming into operation of section 16 of the 2014 Act, one of the enabling provisions under which these Regulations are made, for the purpose of making regulations on 28th April 2014.

As these Regulations, in so far as they are made under the 1995 Order, make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain, the requirement to consult under Article 117(1) of the 1995 Order does not apply by virtue of paragraph (2)(e) of that Article.