Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill

Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill - continued	House of Lords

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SCHEDULE 12

CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

PART I

AMENDMENTS CONSEQUENTIAL ON PARTS III AND IV

Supreme Court Act 1981 (c.54)

1. In paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the Supreme Court Act 1981, after paragraph (f) there is inserted-

"(fa) all proceedings relating to a debit or credit under section 26(1) or 46(1) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999;".

Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (c.42)

2. The Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 is amended as follows.

3. In section 17, for subsection (1) there is substituted-

	"(1) Subject to section 20 below, on an application by a party to a marriage for an order for financial relief under this section, the court may-
	(a) make any one or more of the orders which it could make under Part II of the 1973 Act if a decree of divorce, a decree of nullity of marriage or a decree of judicial separation in respect of the marriage had been granted in England and Wales, that is to say-
	(i) any order mentioned in section 23(1) of the 1973 Act (financial provision orders);
	(ii) any order mentioned in section 24(1) of that Act (property adjustment orders); and
	(b) if the marriage has been dissolved or annulled, make one or more orders each of which would, within the meaning of that Part of that Act, be a pension sharing order in relation to the marriage."

4. In section 21-

(a) the word "made", in both places, is omitted,

(b) after paragraph (b) there is inserted-

	"(ba) section 24B(3) to (5) (provisions about pension sharing orders in relation to divorce and nullity);
	(bb) section 24C (duty to stay pension sharing orders);
	(bc) section 24D (apportionment of pension sharing charges);", and

"(l) section 40A (appeals relating to pension sharing orders which have taken effect)."

Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 (c.37)

5. The Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 has effect subject to the following amendments.

6. In section 8, after subsection (3) there is inserted-

	"(4) The court may not-
	(a) when making an order under subsection (1) above, make both a pension sharing order and an order under section 12A(2) or (3) of this Act in relation to the same pension arrangement; nor
	(b) make a pension sharing order in relation to the rights of a person under a pension arrangement if there is in force an order under section 12A(2) or (3) of this Act which relates to benefits or future benefits to which he is entitled under the pension arrangement."

7. After section 8 there is inserted-

"Pension sharing orders: apportionment of charges.

8A. If a pension sharing order relates to rights under a pension arrangement, the court may include in the order provision about the apportionment between the parties of any charge under section 38 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (charges in respect of pension sharing costs) or under corresponding Northern Ireland legislation."

8. - (1) Section 10 is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (5)(b), for "scheme" there is substituted "arrangement".

(3) For subsection (8) there is substituted-

	"(8) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision-
	(a) about calculation and verification in relation to the valuation for the purposes of this Act of benefits under a pension arrangement or relevant state scheme rights;
	(b) about calculation and verification in relation to the valuation for the purposes of this Act of shareable rights under a pension arrangement or shareable state scheme rights;
	(c) imposing on the person responsible for a pension arrangement, or on the Secretary of State, requirements with respect to the supply of information for the purposes of this Act, and for the recovery of administrative expenses of providing such information from either party."

(4) After that subsection there is inserted-

	"(8A) Regulations under subsection (8)(a) above may include-
	(a) provision for calculation or verification in accordance with guidance from time to time prepared by a prescribed person; and
	(b) provision by reference to regulations under section 27 or 46(4) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999."

(5) In subsection (9), after "subsection (8) above" there is inserted "may make different provision for different purposes and".

(6) Subsections (10) and (11) cease to have effect.

9. - (1) Section 12A is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)(a), for "scheme" there is substituted "arrangement".

(3) In subsection (2), for "trustees or managers of the pension scheme" there is substituted "person responsible for the pension arrangement".

(4) In subsection (3), in paragraphs (a) and (c) for "trustees or managers of the pension scheme" there is substituted "person responsible for the pension arrangement" and in paragraph (a) for "have" there is substituted "has".

(5) In subsection (4)-

(a) for "trustees or managers" there is substituted "person responsible for the pension arrangement", and

(b) for "trustees' or managers' liability" there is substituted "liability of the person responsible for the pension arrangement".

(6) In subsection (5), for "trustees or managers" there is substituted "person responsible for the pension arrangement".

(7) In subsection (6)-

(a) for "trustees or managers of", wherever occurring, there is substituted "person responsible for",

(b) for "scheme", wherever occurring, there is substituted "arrangement", and

(8) In subsection (7)-

(a) for "trustees or managers" where first occurring there is substituted "person responsible for the pension arrangement",

(b) for "trustees or managers of" there is substituted "person responsible for", and

(9) For subsection (10) there is substituted-

"(10) The definition of "benefits under a pension scheme" in section 27 of this Act does not apply to this section."

10. In section 13(2)(b), after "property" there is inserted ", or a pension sharing order,".

11. - (1) Section 16 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 16(2), for paragraph (b) there is substituted-

	"(b) under subsection (1)(b) above, if the agreement does not contain a term relating to pension sharing, on granting decree of divorce or within such time as the court may specify on granting decree of divorce; or
	(c) under subsection (1)(b) above, if the agreement contains a term relating to pension sharing-
	(i) where the order sets aside the agreement or varies the term relating to pension sharing, on granting decree of divorce; and
	(ii) where the order sets aside or varies any other term of the agreement, on granting decree of divorce or within such time thereafter as the court may specify on granting decree of divorce."

(3) After that subsection there is inserted-

"(2A) In subsection (2) above, a term relating to pension sharing is a term corresponding to provision which may be made in a pension sharing order and satisfying the requirements set out in section 25(1)(f) or 45(1)(f) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999."

12. In section 27(1), the following definitions are inserted at the appropriate places-

	""benefits under a pension arrangement" includes any benefits by way of pension, including relevant state scheme rights, whether under a pension arrangement or not;
	"pension arrangement" means-
	(a) any occupational pension scheme within the meaning of the Pension Schemes Act 1993;
	(b) a personal pension scheme within the meaning of that Act;
	(c) a retirement annuity contract;
	(d) an annuity or insurance policy purchased or transferred for the purpose of giving effect to rights under an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme;
	(e) an annuity purchased or entered into for the purpose of discharging liability in respect of a pension credit under section 26(1)(b) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 or under corresponding Northern Ireland legislation;
	"person responsible for a pension arrangement" means-
	(a) in the case of an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme, the trustees or managers of the scheme;
	(b) in the case of a retirement annuity contract or an annuity falling within paragraph (d) or (e) of the definition of "pension arrangement" above, the provider of the annuity;
	(c) in the case of an insurance policy falling within paragraph (d) of the definition of that expression, the insurer;
	"relevant state scheme rights" means-
	(a) entitlement, or prospective entitlement, to a Category A retirement pension by virtue of section 44(3)(b) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 or under corresponding Northern Ireland legislation; and
	(b) entitlement, or prospective entitlement, to a pension under section 55A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (shared additional pension) or under corresponding Northern Ireland legislation;
	"retirement annuity contract" means a contract or scheme approved under Chapter III of Part XIV of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988;
	"trustees or managers" in relation to an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme means-
	(a) in the case of a scheme established under a trust, the trustees of the scheme; and
	(b) in any other case, the managers of the scheme;".

Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c.4)

13. The Contributions and Benefits Act has effect subject to the following amendments.

14. - (1) Section 20 is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1), after paragraph (f) there is inserted-

"(fa) shared additional pensions;".

(3) In subsection (2), in the definition of "long-term benefit", after paragraph (d) there is inserted-

"(e) a shared additional pension;".

15. In section 21(1), after "41 below" there is inserted "or a shared additional pension under section 55A below".

16. In section 39(1), (2) and (3), for "45A" there is substituted "45B".

Prepared 22 July 1999