Commentary on provisions of Act Section 1: Automatic enrolment: persons and earnings affected
Subsections (1) to (5) of this section amend the provisions of the Pensions Act 2008 (PA08), as follows:
	Subsection (2) inserts a regulation making power into PA08 section 3 to enable the Secretary of State to decrease the age upon which an employer has an obligation to automatically enrol jobholders into a scheme that fulfils the criteria for an "automatic enrolment scheme" (see PA08 section 17).
	Subsection (3) inserts a regulation making power into PA08 section 5 to enable the Secretary of State to decrease the age upon which an employer has an obligation to automatically re-enrol jobholders into a scheme that fulfils the criteria for an "automatic enrolment scheme" (see PA08 section 17).
	Subsection (4) inserts a new section 13A into the PA08. New section 13A(1)(a) and (b) contain a regulation making power to enable the Secretary of State to either reduce the amount of the lower limit of the qualifying earnings band (contained in PA08 section 13(1)(a)), or to repeal PA08 section 9 (workers without qualifying earnings) and section 13(1)(a) (the lower limit of the qualifying earnings band).
	New section 13A(2) allows, by regulations, the Secretary of State to modify the requirements as to the timing and subject matter of a review under PA08 section 14 (review of earnings trigger and qualifying earnings band). New section 13A(3) allows the Secretary of State to make consequential amendments.
	Subsection (5) inserts new provisions into section 143 of the PA08 to provide that any regulations that are made under the new powers are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, and to prevent the Secretary of State from making regulations under sections 3(1A), 5(1C) or 13A, unless he has carried out a consultation. Where the Secretary of State lays a draft of an instrument containing regulations under section 3(1A), 5(1C) or 13A before Parliament, this must be accompanied by a report by the Secretary of State about the consultation.