Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act 2009

Year2009


Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act 2009

2009 asp 1

The Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 22nd January 2009 and received Royal Assent on 25 February 2009

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to set out rules to govern the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme; to provide for the payment of resettlement grants to individuals when they stop being members of the Scottish Parliament or holding certain offices; and for connected purposes.

S-1 Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme

1 Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme

(1) The Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme is to continue but is to be governed from the coming into force of this section in accordance with the rules set out in schedule 1.

(2) The Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (and all the SPCB's functions, rights, liabilities and obligations in relation to that Fund) are transferred to and vest in the Fund trustees appointed and holding office in accordance with those rules.

(3) Schedule 3 makes further transitional provisions and savings.

S-2 Grants payable on leaving office

2 Grants payable on leaving office

Schedule 2 sets out circumstances in which the SPCB is to pay grants to individuals when they stop being MSPs or holding certain offices.

S-3 Modification of pension schemes etc.

3 Modification of pension schemes etc.

(1) The Scottish Parliament may resolve to modify—

(a) the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme,

(b) the grants scheme set out in schedule 2, or

(c) the pension scheme for First Ministers and Presiding Officers which is comprised in Part S of the 1999 pensions order.

(2) A resolution may, in particular, modify—

(a) the rules set out in schedule 1,

(b) schedules 2 or 3, or

(c) the 1999 pensions order.

(3) A resolution may—

(a) make different provision for different purposes,

(b) make provision having retrospective effect.

(4) The Clerk of the Parliament must send a copy of a resolution to the Queen's Printer for Scotland immediately after it is passed.

Articles 5, 7(1), 8 and 9 of the Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Statutory Instruments) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1096 ) apply in relation to that copy resolution as if it were a Scottish statutory instrument.

S-4 Interpretation

4 Interpretation

In this Act—

"1999 pensions order" means the Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1082),

"Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme" means the pension scheme constituted by the 1999 pensions order (but does not include the pension scheme for First Ministers and Presiding Officers which is comprised in Part S of that order),

"Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund" means the fund established by article B1 of the 1999 pensions order, and

"SPCB" means the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

S-5 Commencement

5 Commencement

(1) The following provisions come into force on Royal Assent—

sections 4 and 6

this section

rules 4 and 8 to 11 of schedule 1 (and section 1(1) in so far as it introduces them)

paragraphs 1, 4 and 9 of schedule 3 (and section 1(3) in so far as it introduces those paragraphs)

(2) Section 3 also comes into force on Royal Assent (but, during the period before the rest of this Act comes into force, a motion for a resolution under that section may be moved only by a member of the SPCB).

(3) The rest of this Act comes into force on the first day of the month which follows the month which includes the day falling 6 months after Royal Assent.

S-6 Short title

6 Short title

This Act is called the Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act 2009.

 SCHEDULE 1

Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme

SCH-1.1

1 This schedule sets out the rules of the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme ("the scheme").

Part A

The Pension Fund

SCH-1.2

2 "The Pension Fund" means the Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund.

SCH-1.3

(1) The following payments are to be made from the Pension Fund—

(a) all pensions and lump sums payable under the scheme, and

(b) all amounts payable by the Fund trustees under the scheme.

(2) The Fund trustees must pay all sums they receive under the scheme into the Pension Fund.

Part B

Part B

Fund trustees

Fund trustees

SCH-1.4

 

4 The "Fund trustees" are the individuals appointed under and holding office in accordance with this Part.

SCH-1.5

 

5 The Fund trustees' principal function is to administer the Pension Fund, and to manage and apply its assets, in accordance with the scheme.

SCH-1.6

 

6 There are to be at least 3 but no more than 6 Fund trustees.

SCH-1.7

 

7 A person who is prevented by the Pensions Act 1995 (c. 26), or by any other enactment or rule of law, from being a pension scheme trustee is barred from being a Fund trustee.

SCH-1.8

 

(1) The Scottish Parliament may resolve to appoint as a Fund trustee any individual nominated by the SPCB as suitable to hold that office.

(2) The SPCB must, when deciding who to nominate—

(a) do its best to ensure that the Fund trustees include a participating member and a scheme pensioner, and

(b) have regard to any recommendation by the incumbent Fund trustees.

(3) A Fund trustee appointment has immediate effect (unless the Scottish Parliament resolves otherwise).

(4) The Court of Session may appoint a Fund trustee only on an application under section 19(2) of the Trusts (Scotland) Act 1921 (c. 58).

(5) The Fund trustees do not have power to assume new trustees.

SCH-1.9

 

(1) A Fund trustee may be remunerated, or receive allowances, from the Pension Fund for acting as a Fund trustee only if the following conditions are met—

Condition 1

The Fund trustee is not a scheme member (or a pension credit member).

Condition 2

The other Fund trustees (if any), before appointment, recommend to the SPCB that the Fund trustee be remunerated or entitled to allowances.

Condition 3

The SPCB's nomination to the Scottish Parliament specifies that remuneration or allowances are to be paid.

(2) Expenses properly incurred by the Fund trustees in connection with the performance of their functions are to be paid from the Pension Fund.

SCH-1.10

 

(1) A Fund trustee may resign by giving notice of resignation to—

(a) the Presiding Officer, and

(b) the other Fund trustees.

(2) A resignation has effect immediately on the notice of resignation being given.

(3) This rule does not apply where there is a sole trustee.

SCH-1.11

 

(1) A Fund trustee is removed from office only if—

(a) the Scottish Parliament resolves to end the Fund trustee's tenure,

(b) the Fund trustee becomes barred from being a Fund trustee (see rule 7), or

(c) the Fund trustee's tenure ends under rule 12.

(2) A Parliamentary resolution passed on a division for the purposes of this rule has effect only if voted for by at least two-thirds of the voting MSPs.

SCH-1.12

 

(1) This rule applies—

(a) where a Fund trustee who was a participating member when appointed becomes a deferred pensioner or a scheme pensioner,

(b) where a Fund trustee who was a deferred pensioner when appointed—

(i) becomes a participating member or a scheme pensioner, or

(ii) has his or her rights to receive scheme benefits extinguished under rule 80, and

(c) where a Fund trustee who was a scheme pensioner when appointed becomes an MSP or the holder of a pensionable office.

(2) Where this rule applies—

(a) the Fund trustee must give notice of change of circumstance to—

(i) the Presiding Officer, and

(ii) the other Fund trustees, and

(b) the Fund trustee's tenure ends 6 months after the change of circumstance occurs (unless the Scottish Parliament resolves otherwise).

SCH-1.13

 

13 Nothing in the scheme overrides section 241 of the Pensions Act 2004 (c. 35). Accordingly—

(a) the SPCB must nominate as suitable to be a Fund trustee any individual who the Fund trustees recommend for the purposes of fulfilling their obligations under that section, and

(b)rule 6 does not prevent the SPCB from so nominating an individual (or the appointment of an individual) if the appointment—

(i) would result in more than 6 Fund trustees holding office, and

(ii) would ensure that at least one-third of the Fund trustees are appointed in accordance with that section.

SCH-1.14

 

14 The Fund trustees may regulate their own procedure (in so far as not regulated by the scheme).

SCH-1.15

 

15 A meeting of the Fund trustees is quorate if—

(a) 3 or more Fund trustees are present, or

(b) where fewer than 3 Fund trustees hold office, if both trustees are (or the sole trustee is) present.

SCH-1.16

 

16 The Fund trustees may—

(a) employ staff on such terms as they think fit,

(b) seek advice from any person.

SCH-1.17

 

17 The Fund trustees must monitor the performance of any fund manager they appoint.

SCH-1.18

 

18 The Fund trustees may obtain insurance designed to indemnify them against any personal liability arising in connection with the performance (or purported performance) of their functions.

SCH-1.19

 

(1) The Fund trustees may authorise any person (including one or more of themselves) to perform, or to authorise others to perform, any of their functions to the extent authorised.

(2) An authorisation does not affect the Fund trustees' responsibility for delegated functions or their ability to perform those functions themselves.

SCH-1.20

 

(1) A decision, authorisation or other act of the Fund trustees is not invalidated—

(a) by any change to the individuals (or to the status or eligibility of individuals) holding office as Fund trustees,

(b) by any defect in the nomination or appointment of a Fund trustee, or

(c) by the fact that it is done when fewer than 3 Fund trustees held office.

(2) The Fund trustees are free to vary or revoke any previous decision or authorisation (but such a variation or revocation may reduce the scheme benefits to which any individual is...

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