The section extends statutory powers to establish pension schemes to include the power to provide benefits in respect of pension credit rights to former spouses.
Subsection (1) extends the powers to make statutory schemes so that those schemes may be amended to allow for the use of pension credits to provide benefits to former spouses. The pension credits may arise directly out of rights under the scheme in question, or under a public service pension scheme for which it is specified as an alternative in accordance with Schedule 5 paragraph 2.
Subsection (4) enables statutory schemes to make provision for former spouses regardless of any obligation to consult; this enables schemes which would otherwise be required to consult on changes, detrimental or otherwise, to implement pension sharing without doing so.
Commentary Adaptation of statutory schemes Section 42: Extension of scheme-making powers