The Personal and Occupational Pension Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999
These Regulations amend a number of sets of Regulations related to the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993 and the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (“the Order”).Regulation 1 relates to citation, commencement and interpretation.Regulations 2 to 14 contain miscellaneous amendments to the following sets of regulations, the—Occupational Pension Schemes (Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Occupational Pension Schemes (Member-nominated Trustees and Directors) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Occupational Pension Schemes (Contracting-out) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Protected Rights (Transfer Payment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Occupational Pension Schemes (Minimum Funding Requirement and Actuarial Valuations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Occupational Pension Schemes (Deficiency on Winding Up etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Contracting-out (Transfer and Transfer Payment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding Up) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996Personal and Occupational Pension Schemes (Protected Rights) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997Occupational Pension Schemes (Modification of Schemes) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 (“the Disclosure Regulations”)Occupational Pension Schemes (Discharge of Liability) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997.Regulations 2 to 14 include amendments which—require complainants to be reminded of the existence of OPAS (the Pensions Advisory Service) earlier in the complaints procedure;clarify the position of schemes contracted-out in the Isle of Man within the UK contracting-out regime;clarify the definition of “section 5(2B) rights”;provide for an additional case where, even if a debt (which arose when they ceased to be employers in relation to the scheme) is unpaid, former employers of a multi-employer scheme are not liable for debts arising at a later applicable time. This will apply where the sole reason the debt was not paid is that the employer was not informed of it in time;allow some flexibility in reporting to the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority late payment of contributions;extend the exemption to Article 67 of the Order.