Amendments proposed to the Pensions Bill - continued House of Commons

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Referral of questions of law

   

Mr Secretary Smith

NC23

To move the following Clause:—

    'The PPF Ombudsman may refer any question of law arising for determination in connection with—

      (a) a reviewable matter referred to him by virtue of regulations under section 196, or

      (b) a matter referred to him by virtue of regulations under section 197,

    to, in England and Wales, the High Court or, in Scotland, the Court of Session.'.


   

Mr David Willetts
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr George Osborne
Mr Peter Atkinson
Gregory Barker
Andrew Rosindell

25

Page     67,     line     32     [Clause     97],     at end insert—

    '(4A)   Any person appointed as an ordinary member shall have knowledge and understanding of—

      (a) the law relating to pensions and trusts,

      (b) the principles relating to—

      (i) the funding of occupational pension schemes, and

      (ii) investment of the assets of such schemes, and

      (c) such other matters as may be prescribed'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

97

Page     68,     line     19     [Clause     99],     after 'Part' insert 'and any provision in force in Northern Ireland corresponding to it'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith
Mr Harry Barnes

98

Page     70,     line     1     [Clause     102],     leave out from 'Fund)' to end of line 2.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

99

Page     79,     line     41     [Clause     118],     after 'in' insert 'sections [Reviewable ill health pensions] to [Interpretation of sections [Reviewable ill health pensions] and [Effect of review]] and'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

100

Page     83,     line     24     [Clause     124],     leave out 'owed' and insert 'due'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

101

Page     84,     line     7     [Clause     125],     leave out 'for that period'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

102

Page     84,     line     16     [Clause     125],     after 'pension' insert 'or payment of a member's lump sum'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

103

Page     84,     line     19     [Clause     125],     at end insert—

    '(4A)   For the purposes of subsection (4)—

      (a) "normal pension age", in relation to an eligible scheme and any pension or other benefit under it, means the age specified in the scheme rules as the earliest age at which the pension or other benefit becomes payable without actuarial adjustment (disregarding any scheme rule making special provision as to early payment on the grounds of ill health), and

      (b) where different ages are so specified in relation to different parts of a pension or other benefit—

      (i) subsection (4) has effect as if those parts were separate pensions or, as the case may be, benefits, and

      (ii) in relation to a part of a pension or other benefit, the reference in that subsection to normal pension age is to be read as a reference to the age specified in the scheme rules as the earliest age at which that part becomes so payable.

    (4B)   In subsection (4A) "scheme rules" has the meaning given by section 134(7).'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

104

Page     85,     line     13     [Clause     127],     leave out from second 'valuation' to end of line 15 and insert 'of the assets and protected liabilities of the scheme which—

      (a) is in the prescribed form and contains the prescribed information, and

      (b) is prepared and signed by a person with prescribed qualifications;'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

105

Page     85,     line     32     [Clause     127],     at end insert—

    '( )   In a case where there are one or more reviewable ill health pensions (within the meaning of section [Reviewable ill health pensions]) under the scheme, nothing in subsection (2) requires the actuarial valuation to be obtained during the period mentioned in section [Effect of review](5)(b) (period during which Board may exercise its power to make a decision following a review) relating to any such pension.'.


   

Mr David Willetts
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr George Osborne
Mr Peter Atkinson
Gregory Barker
Andrew Rosindell

22

Page     86,     line     3     [Clause     128],     at end insert 'and—

      ( ) recognised trade unions and organisations representing the pensioner members of the scheme.'.


   

Mr David Willetts
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr George Osborne
Mr Peter Atkinson
Gregory Barker
Andrew Rosindell

23

Page     87,     line     34     [Clause     131],     at end insert 'and—

      ( ) recognised trade unions and organisations representing the pensioner members of the scheme'.


   

Steve Webb
Mr David Willetts
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr George Osborne
Mr Peter Atkinson
Gregory Barker

219

Page     90     [Clause     134],     leave out lines 14 to 16 and insert—

      '(b) audited accounts covering the period from the date of the latest statutory annual accounts of the scheme to a date no later than three months prior to the day the application is made.'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

106

Page     91,     line     4     [Clause     134],     leave out from 'as' to 'overrides' in line 6 and insert '—

            (i) paragraph 3 of Schedule 5 to the Social Security Act 1989 (c.24),

            (ii) section 129 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c.48),

            (iii) section 117 of the Pensions Act 1995 (c.26),

            (iv) section 31(4) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c.30) (pension debits: reduction of benefit), or

            (v) section 264 of this Act,'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

107

Page     95,     line     1     [Clause     138],     at end insert—

      '( ) section 37(5) and (6) (Board to act as creditor for debt due by virtue of a contribution notice under section 35);'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

108

Page     95,     line     1     [Clause     138],     at end insert—

      '( ) section 44(5) and (6) (Board to act as creditor for debt due by virtue of a contribution notice under section 42);'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

109

Page     95,     line     1     [Clause     138],     at end insert—

      '( )  section [Content and effect of a restoration order](5) and (6) (Board to act as creditor for debt due by virtue of a restoration order under section [Restoration orders where transactions at an undervalue]);'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

110

Page     95,     line     1     [Clause     138],     at end insert—

      '( )  section [Content and effect of a section [Contribution notice where failure to comply with restoration order] contribution notice](5) and (6) (Board to act as creditor for debt due by virtue of a contribution notice under section [Contribution notice where failure to comply with restoration order]);'.


   

Mr David Willetts
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr George Osborne
Mr Peter Atkinson
Gregory Barker
Andrew Rosindell

24

Page     98,     line     4     [Clause     143],     after 'Regulator,', insert—

      ( ) recognised trade unions and organisations representing the pensioner members of the scheme'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

111

Page     99,     line     5     [Clause     145],     leave out second 'section' and insert 'sections [Reviewable ill health pensions] to [Interpretation of sections [Reviewable ill health pensions] and [Effect of review]] and'.


   

Mr David Willetts
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr George Osborne
Mr Peter Atkinson
Gregory Barker
Andrew Rosindell

32

Page     101,     line     37     [Clause     152],     at end insert—

      '(d) by agreeing that the purchase of annuities in respect of an occupational pension scheme which is in the process of being wound up can be postponed, and that relevant benefits may be discharged by the Board.'.


   

Mr Secretary Smith

112

Page     104,     line     15     [Clause     156],     at end insert—

      '( ) any amount paid to the Board in respect of a debt due to the Board under section 37(7) by virtue of a contribution notice under section 35,'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

113

Page     104,     line     15     [Clause     156],     at end insert—

      '( )  any property transferred or amounts paid to the Board as required by a restoration order under section [Restoration orders where transactions at an undervalue],'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

114

Page     104,     line     15     [Clause     156],     at end insert—

      '( )  any amount paid to the Board in respect of a debt due to the Board under section [Content and effect of a section [Contribution notices where failure to comply with restoration order] contribution notice](7) by virtue of a contribution notice under section [Contribution notices where failure to comply with restoration order],'.

   

Mr Secretary Smith

115

Page     104,     line     22     [Clause     156],     leave out 'payable' and insert 'to be paid or transferred'.

 
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