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STATUTORY RULES OF NORTHERN IRELAND


2005 No. 381

PENSIONS

The Occupational Pension Schemes (Fraud Compensation Payments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

  Made 10th August 2005 
  Coming into operation 1st September 2005 


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

1. Citation, commencement and interpretation
2. Prescribed schemes
3. Relevant offences
4. Employers who are unlikely to continue as a going concern
5. Applications for fraud compensation payments
6. Confirmation of scheme status
7. Amount of fraud compensation
8. Interim payments
9. Effect of determinations under Article 167
10. Hybrid schemes
11. Partially guaranteed schemes
12. Partially approved schemes
13. Stakeholder pension schemes
14. Segregated schemes: single employer sections
15. Segregated schemes: multi-employer sections without requirement for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
16. Segregated schemes: non-segregated multi-employer sections of segregated schemes with requirement for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
17. Non-segregated schemes: schemes with requirement for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
18. Non-segregated schemes: schemes without provision for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
19. Non-segregated schemes with an option to segregate on the withdrawal of participating employer
20. Segregated schemes: multi-employer sections of segregated schemes with an option to segregate on withdrawal of participating employer
21. Amendment of the Pension Protection Fund (Reviewable Matters) Regulations
22. Amendment of the Pension Protection Fund (Provision of Information) Regulations
23. Amendment of the Pension Protection Fund (Review and Reconsideration of Reviewable Matters) Regulations

The Department for Social Development, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 2(5)(a), 165(1)(a) and (b), (4)(c) and (5), 166(6), 168(4)(a), 169(1)(a)(ii), (2) and (3), 172(1), 185(1), 188(2)(a) and (3), 189(1), 280(1)(a) and (b) and (3) and 287(2) and (3) of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005[
1] and paragraph 1(6) of Schedule 1 to the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999[2], and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and interpretation
     1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Occupational Pension Schemes (Fraud Compensation Payments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2005.

    (2) In these Regulations, any reference to a numbered Article is a reference to the Article of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 bearing that number.

    (3) In these Regulations—

and non-segregated scheme shall be read accordingly;

    (4) In these Regulations "employer", in relation to—

which has no active members, includes the person who was the employer of persons in the description of employment to which the scheme or section relates immediately before the time at which the scheme or section ceased to have any active members in relation to it.

    (5) In these Regulations "employer", in relation to a non-segregated scheme or a multi-employer section of a segregated scheme—

Prescribed schemes
     2. —(1) For the purposes of Article 165(1) the Board shall not make a fraud compensation payment in respect of a scheme if it is—

    (2) Where a section of a segregated scheme or a segregated part is treated as if it were a separate scheme which falls within paragraph (1)(a) to (k), it is a scheme for the purpose of Article 165(1)(a) to which a fraud compensation payment cannot be made.

Relevant offences
     3. For the purpose of Article 165(1)(b) (reduction of scheme assets attributable to a prescribed offence), a prescribed offence is any offence involving dishonesty, and for these purposes dishonesty shall include an intent to defraud.

Employers who are unlikely to continue as a going concern
    
4. —(1) For the purpose of Article 165(4)(c) (prescribed requirements to be met where an employer is unlikely to continue as a going concern) the prescribed requirements are that the employer is either—

Applications for fraud compensation payments
     5. —(1) An application for fraud compensation payments under Article 165(1)(d) must—

    (2) Subject to paragraph (5), an application must be made by—

    (3) An application must contain—

    (4) In the case of a stakeholder pension scheme paragraph (3)(c) and (e) shall not apply where there is no employer in relation to the scheme.

    (5) In the case of—

Confirmation of scheme status
    
6. —(1) This regulation applies where the Board has given a notice ("scheme status notice") under Article 166(2) (scheme rescue not possible or has occurred).

    (2) Where a scheme status notice has become binding and the Board gives a notice under Article 166(5) ("the Board notice") to that effect, that notice must be in writing and must contain the following information—

Amount of fraud compensation
    
7. —(1) For the purpose of Article 168(4) (determination of amount of fraud compensation payment) the amount of any fraud compensation payments shall be calculated in accordance with this regulation and, subject to Article 168(3) (maximum payments) and Article 169 (interim payments), must not exceed this amount.

    (2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (5), the amount of the fraud compensation payments shall be calculated in accordance with the formula P – Q where—

    (3) In the case of an ear-marked scheme, the amount of the fraud compensation payments shall be calculated in accordance with the formula P + R – Q where—

    (4) For the purpose of paragraphs (2) and (3)—

    (5) In the case of—

Interim payments
    
8. —(1) The prescribed liabilities referred to in Article 169(1)(a)(ii) (liabilities the trustees or managers would not otherwise be able to meet) are—

    (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any liability for payment of a lump sum derived from commutation of a pension.

    (3) Interim payments under Article 169 shall be determined so as—

    (4) For the purpose of Article 169(3) (recovery of interim payments) all or part of an interim payment may not be recovered where such recovery would cause any pensions in payment to be reduced.

Effect of determinations under Article 167
    
9. —(1) Paragraph (2) shall apply where—

    (2) A determination referred to in paragraph (1) is not binding until—

Hybrid schemes
    
10. —(1) The fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to a hybrid scheme so that they shall be read as if—

Partially guaranteed schemes
    
11. The fraud compensation provisions (except Articles 165(4) and 166) shall be modified in their application to partially guaranteed schemes so that they shall be read as if—

Partially approved schemes
    
12. —(1) For the purpose of this regulation, a partially approved scheme means—

    (2) The approved section or, as the case may be, the registered section of a partially approved scheme shall be treated as if it were a separate scheme for the purpose of these Regulations.

Stakeholder pension schemes
     13. —(1) In the case of a stakeholder pension scheme which does not have an employer in relation to the scheme, the fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to such a scheme so that the following provisions shall be treated as if they do not apply—

Segregated schemes: single employer sections
    
14. —(1) This paragraph applies to a section of a segregated scheme with one employer in relation to that section in circumstances where—

    (2) The fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to a section of a segregated scheme to which paragraph (1) applies so that they shall be read as if—

Segregated schemes: multi-employer sections without requirement for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
     15. —(1) This paragraph applies to a multi-employer section of a segregated scheme ("multi-employer section") the rules of which do not provide for the partial winding up of the section when an employer in relation to the section ceases to participate in the scheme.

    (2) The fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to a multi-employer section to which paragraph (1) applies so that they shall be read as if—

Segregated schemes: non-segregated multi-employer sections of segregated schemes with requirement for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
     16. —(1) This paragraph applies to a non-segregated multi-employer section of a segregated scheme in circumstances where—

    (2) Where paragraph (3) applies to that section of a segregated scheme—

    (3) This paragraph applies where the segregation requirement in the scheme rules would be triggered in relation to the section when an employer in relation to the section ceases to participate in the scheme.

    (4) In this regulation—

    (5) The fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to a non-segregated multi-employer section to which paragraphs (1) and (2) apply so that they shall be read as if—

Non-segregated schemes: schemes with requirement for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
    
17. —(1) This paragraph applies to a non-segregated scheme in circumstances where—

    (2) Where paragraph (3) applies to the non-segregated scheme—

    (3) This paragraph applies where the segregation requirement in the scheme rules would be triggered when an employer in relation to the non-segregated scheme ceases to participate in the scheme.

    (4) In this regulation—

    (5) The fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to a non-segregated scheme to which paragraphs (1) and (2) apply so that they shall be read as if—

Non-segregated schemes: schemes without provision for partial wind up on withdrawal of participating employer
    
18. —(1) This paragraph applies to a multi-employer scheme which is not divided into two or more sections ("a non-segregated scheme") the rules of which do not provide for the partial winding up of the scheme when an employer in relation to the scheme ceases to participate in the scheme.

    (2) The fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to a non-segregated scheme to which paragraph (1) applies so that they shall be read as if—

Non-segregated schemes with an option to segregate on the withdrawal of participating employer
     19. —(1) This paragraph applies to a non-segregated scheme in circumstances—

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3), in the case of a scheme to which paragraph (1) applies, the trustees or managers of the scheme shall be deemed to have exercised the option to create a segregated part of the scheme immediately after the occurrence of an event described in paragraph (1)(a)(i), (ii) or (iii) where—

has not occurred in relation to the segregated part.

    (3) Paragraph (2) shall not apply where the trustees or managers of the scheme—

    (4) Article 166 shall be modified in its application to a non-segregated scheme to which paragraphs (1) and (3) apply as if after paragraph (1) there were inserted the following paragraph—

    (5) Where paragraph (2) applies, the fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to the non-segregated scheme so that they shall be read as if—

    (6) In this regulation—

Segregated schemes: multi-employer sections of segregated schemes with an option to segregate on withdrawal of participating employer
    
20. —(1) This paragraph applies to a non-segregated multi-employer section of a segregated scheme in circumstances—

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3), in the case of a non-segregated multi-employer section to which paragraph (1) applies, the trustees or managers of that section shall be deemed to have exercised the option to create a segregated part of that section immediately after the occurrence of an event described in paragraph (1)(a)(i), (ii) or (iii) where—

has not occurred in relation to the segregated part.

    (3) Paragraph (2) shall not apply where the trustees or managers of the scheme—

    (4) Article 166 shall be modified in its application to a non-segregated multi-employer section to which paragraphs (1) and (3) apply as if after paragraph (1) there were inserted the following paragraph—

    (5) Where paragraph (2) applies, the fraud compensation provisions shall be modified in their application to the non-segregated multi-employer section so that they shall be read as if—

    (6) In this regulation—

Amendment of the Pension Protection Fund (Reviewable Matters) Regulations
    
21. In the Schedule to the Pension Protection Fund (Reviewable Matters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005[23] after paragraph 16 there shall be added the following paragraphs—

     "17. Paragraph 20

     17. The period beginning with the 22nd day after the settlement date as determined by the Board under Article 167(2) until the Board makes fraud compensation payments under Article 165(1).

     18. Paragraph 21

     18. In respect of a notice under—

    (a) Article 166(2)(a) the period beginning with the 15th day after the Board is able to confirm, in accordance with Article 166(2)(a), that a scheme rescue is not possible until the Board issues a notice under Article 166(2);

    (b) Article 166(2)(b) the period beginning with the 15th day after the Board is able to confirm, in accordance with Article 166(2)(b), that a scheme rescue has occurred until the Board issues a notice under Article 166(2).

     19. Paragraph 22

     19. The period beginning with the 15th day after the date when the conditions set out in Article 165(1) have been satisfied and further recoveries of value, within the meaning of Article 167(3), are unlikely, until the Board determines the settlement date under Article 167(2).

     20. Paragraph 23

     20. The period beginning with the 22nd day after the trustees or managers of the scheme have notified the Board that a payment has been received until the Board reaches a determination under Article 167(4) that the payment may be treated as a recovery of value.

     21. Paragraph 24

     21. The period beginning with the 15th day after the Board has sufficient information for it to be satisfied that the case is one to which Article 169(1) applies, or may apply, and the trustees or managers of the scheme are not able to pay prescribed benefits under the scheme rules until the Board makes an interim payment under Article 169(1) in respect of the application under Article 165(1).

     22. Paragraph 31[24]

     22. The period beginning with the 22nd day after the Board has sufficient information to make a determination of any question which was within the functions of the Pensions Compensation Board under Articles 79 to 82 of the 1995 Order until the Board makes the determination.".


Amendment of the Pension Protection Fund (Provision of Information) Regulations
     22. —(1) The Pension Protection Fund (Provision of Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005[25] shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).

    (2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

    (3) In regulation 3 (information to be provided by the Board) after paragraph (6) there shall be added the following paragraphs—

    (4) After regulation 4 (information to be provided by trustees or managers) there shall be inserted the following regulation—

    (5) After Schedule 1 (information to be provided by the Board) there shall be inserted as Schedule 1A the Schedule set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Amendment of the Pension Protection Fund (Review and Reconsideration of Reviewable Matters) Regulations
    
23. In the Schedule to the Pension Protection Fund (Review and Reconsideration of Reviewable Matters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005[30] after paragraph 19 there shall be added the following paragraphs—

     "20. Paragraph 20

     20.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     21. Paragraph 21

     21.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     22. Paragraph 22

     22.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     23. Paragraph 23

     23.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     24. Paragraph 24

     24.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     25. Paragraph 25

     25.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     26. Paragraph 26

     26.

    (a) The trustees or managers of the scheme in respect of which an application has been made under Article 165(1)(d); or

    (b) any other person prescribed in regulations made under Article 165(5)(a), if the application under Article 165(1)(d) was made by that person.

     27. Paragraph 29

     27. Any of the persons specified in Article 171(3) or by regulations made under that Article.

     28. Paragraph 30

     28. Any of the persons specified in Article 171(3) or by regulations made under that Article.

     29. Paragraph 31

     31. Any of the persons specified in Article 80(1) of the 1995 Order.".




Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on


10th August 2005.

L.S.


John O'Neill
A senior officer of the Department for Social Development


SCHEDULE
Regulation 22(5)


SCHEDULE TO BE INSERTED IN THE PENSION PROTECTION FUND (PROVISION OF INFORMATION) REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2005





EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These Regulations make provision in relation to the payment by the Board of the Pension Protection Fund of fraud compensation under Chapter 4 of Part III of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 ("the Order"). Fraud compensation is payable from 1st September 2005 where an employer in relation to an occupational pension scheme is insolvent, or unlikely to continue as a going concern, and the scheme has suffered a loss as a result of an act or omission which qualifies as a prescribed offence under regulation 3 of these Regulations.

Regulation 2 specifies the schemes and types of schemes which cannot apply for fraud compensation payments.

Regulation 3 provides that the prescribed offence for the purpose of Article 165 of the Order is any offence involving dishonesty.

Regulation 4 provides for the conditions which must be satisfied by an employer, who is an employer in relation to a scheme which is not an eligible scheme, and is unlikely to continue as a going concern.

Regulation 5 specifies who may make an application for fraud compensation and what information an application must contain.

Regulation 6 specifies what must be contained in a notice confirming that a scheme status notice has become binding.

Regulation 7 sets out how the Board will calculate amounts paid as fraud compensation.

Regulation 8 sets out the liabilities in respect of which interim fraud compensation payments can be made and also makes other provision as regards the making of interim payments.

Regulation 9 provides for the effect of determinations under Article 167 of the Order for the purpose of any reviews under Chapter 6 of Part III of the Order.

Regulation 10 provides that where the loss is attributable to a section or part of a hybrid scheme, fraud compensation payments should be added to the assets of that section or part.

Regulation 11 provides for where an unsecured part of a partially guaranteed scheme suffers a loss and an application is made for fraud compensation payments.

Regulation 12 provides that, for the purpose of these Regulations, the approved part of a partially approved scheme is to be treated as if it were a scheme in its own right.

Regulation 13 modifies the application of Articles 165, 166 and 168 of the Order where a stakeholder pension scheme, established under a trust, does not have an employer.

Regulations 14 to 20 provide for where multi-employer schemes suffer a loss and an application is made for fraud compensation payments.

Regulations 21 to 23 make consequential amendments to the Pension Protection Fund (Reviewable Matters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005, the Pension Protection Fund (Provision of Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 and Pension Protection Fund (Review and Reconsideration of Reviewable Matters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005.

The Pensions (2005 Order) (Commencement No. 1 and Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005 No. 48 (C. 5)) provides for some of the enabling provisions under which these Regulations are made to be brought fully into operation as follows—

and Articles 165, 166, 168 and 169 of the Order were brought into operation, for the purpose of authorising the making of regulations, on 14th July 2005 and for all other purposes on 1st September 2005, by virtue of the Pensions (2005 Order) (Commencement No. 5 and Appointed Day) Order (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005 No. 321 (C. 24)).

As these Regulations are made before the end of the period of six months beginning with the coming into operation of the provisions of the Order by virtue of which they are made, the requirement to consult under Article 289(1) of the Order does not apply by virtue of paragraph (2)(c) of that Article.


Notes:

[1] S.I. 2005/255 (N.I. 1)back

[2] S.I. 1999/3147 (N.I. 11); paragraph 1(6) was added by paragraph 70(5) of Schedule 10 to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005back

[3] 1988 c. 1back

[4] 2004 c. 12back

[5] Section 590 was amended by paragraph 18 of Schedule 3 to the Finance Act 1988 (c. 39), paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 and Part IV of Schedule 17 to the Finance Act 1989 (c. 26), sections 34 and 36(2) of, and Part V of Schedule 19 to, the Finance Act 1991 (c. 31) and paragraphs 2 and 18(1) and (3) of Schedule 10 to the Finance Act 1999 (c. 16) and section 591 was amended by paragraph 6 of Schedule 13 to the Finance Act 1988, section 107 of, and Part V of Schedule 26 to, the Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), sections 59(2) and 60(1) of the Finance Act 1995 (c. 4) and paragraphs (3) and 18(1) and (3) of Schedule 10 to the Finance Act 1999. Sections 590 and 591 are repealed by Part 3 of Schedule 42 to the Finance Act 2004 from 6th April 2006back

[6] S.R. 2005 No. 126; relevant amending regulations are S.R. 2005 No. 364back

[7] Section 4(2) was amended by paragraph 16(a) of Schedule 3 to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/3213 (N.I. 22)) and paragraph 94 of Schedule 6 to the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1506 (N.I. 10))back

[8] S.R. 2005 No. 91; relevant amending regulations are S.R. 2005 No. 357back

[9] Section 611A was inserted by paragraph 15 of Schedule 6 to, the Finance Act 1989 and amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 to the Finance Act 1999. Section 611A is repealed by Part 3 of Schedule 42 to the Finance Act 2004 from 6th April 2006back

[10] Article 75 was amended by Article 248 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005back

[11] S.I. 1972/1073 (N.I. 10)back

[12] 1998 c. 47back

[13] 1965 c. 18 (N.I.)back

[14] S.I. 1976/1779back

[15] Article 23 was substituted by Article 32(3) of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005back

[16] Section 615(6) was amended by paragraph 11 of Schedule 10 to the Finance Act 1999 and has effect in relation to trust based occupational pension schemes established in respect of persons wholly employed in a trade or undertaking outside of the United Kingdomback

[17] 1963 c. xxxiiback

[18] S.I. 1992/807 (N.I. 5)back

[19] Section 611(3) was amended by paragraph 9 of Schedule 10 to the Finance Act 1999 and paragraph 4 of Schedule 13 and Part II of Schedule 40 to the Finance Act 2000 (c. 17). Section 611(3) is repealed by Part 3 of Schedule 42 to the Finance Act 2004 from 6th April 2006back

[20] Regulation 7 was amended by regulation 2(5) of S.R. 2005 No. 364back

[21] Part III was substituted by regulation 3(3) of S.R. 2005 No. 357back

[22] Part VI was substituted by regulation 3(4) of S.R. 2005 No. 357back

[23] S.R. 2005 No. 127back

[24] Paragraph 31 was added, for the purpose of transitional arrangements, by Article 2(2) of S.R. 2005 No. 375back

[25] S.R. 2005 No. 129back

[26] Articles 78 to 82 were repealed by Schedule 11 to the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 and are saved for transitional purposes by Article 3 of S.R. 2005 No. 375back

[27] S.R. 1997 No. 141back

[28] 1995 c. 26back

[29] The Board of the Pension Protection Fund shall, by virtue of Article 4 of S.I. 2005/1720 (C. 73), exercise certain functions of the Pensions Compensation Board which fall to be exercised on or after 1st September 2005 and Articles 78 to 82 of the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 are saved for that purpose by Article 3 of S.R. 2005 No. 375back

[30] S.R. 2005 No. 138, to which there are amendments not relevant to these regulationsback



ISBN 0 337 96129 8


 © Crown copyright 2005

Prepared 2 September 2005


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