Office of Public Sector Information

Levy towards meeting cost of the Pensions Ombudsman, the Registry and certain grants made by the Board

12 After section 60 of the Pensions Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“60ZA Levies towards meeting certain expenditure under this Act

(1) For the purpose of meeting some or all of the expenditure under section 57B, Part IVA, and section 59K of this Act, regulations may make provision for imposing a levy in respect of such occupational or personal pension schemes as may be prescribed.

(2) Any levy imposed under this section shall be payable to the Secretary of State by or on behalf of—

(a) the administrators of such public service pension schemes as may be prescribed,

(b) the trustees or managers of such other occupational or personal pension schemes as may be prescribed, or

(c) such other persons as may be prescribed,

at such rates and at such times as may be prescribed.

(3) The amount payable by any person on account of the levy shall be a debt due from him to the Secretary of State and shall be recoverable accordingly.

(4) Regulations under this section may include provision relating to the collection and recovery of amounts payable by way of levy under this section, but this subsection is without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above.”

Extension of certain pension scheme provisions to Northern Ireland.

13 In section 68(4) of the Pensions Act (provisions which extend to Northern Ireland) for the words “Section 57 of this Act extends” there shall be substituted the words “The following provisions of this Act, namely, sections 57, 59B, other than subsections (4) and (5)(b), and 59K(1), (2), other than paragraph (a)(ii), (3), (4) and (9) extend”.

Revaluation: extension of certain provisions to widowers

14 In section 9(4) of the 1986 Act, in paragraph (i) (which was inserted by paragraph 16(b) of Schedule 6 to the 1989 Act and which specifies certain provisions in Schedule 1A to the Pensions Act which are to be construed as if “widow” included “widower”) after the word “paragraphs” there shall be inserted “2(2)(e),”.

Overriding effect of certain 1989 Act amendments

15 (1) In paragraph 19 of Schedule 6 to the 1989 Act (which made minor amendments to the requirements specified in Schedule 1 to the 1986 Act which appropriate schemes must satisfy) after sub-paragraph (2) there shall be added—

“(3) If immediately before the passing of the Social Security Act 1990 there is in force in relation to an occupational or personal pension scheme either—

(a) a contracting-out certificate under Part III of the Pensions Act which states that the scheme is contracted-out by virtue of section 32(2A) of that Act, or

(b) an appropriate scheme certificate under Part I of the 1986 Act,

then, to the extent that the rules of the scheme are inconsistent with any provision made by sub-paragraph (1) or (2) above, they shall be overridden by that provision.”

(2) In paragraph 20 of Schedule 6 to the 1989 Act (amendments relating to the manner of giving effect to protected rights) after sub-paragraph (3) there shall be added—

“(4) If immediately before the passing of the Social Security Act 1990 there is in force in relation to an occupational or personal pension scheme either—

(a) a contracting-out certificate under Part III of the Pensions Act which states that the scheme is contracted-out by virtue of section 32(2A) of that Act, or

(b) an appropriate scheme certificate under Part I of the 1986 Act,

then, to the extent that the rules of the scheme are inconsistent with any provision made by sub-paragraphs (1) to (3) above, they shall be overridden by that provision.”

Section 17(7).

SCHEDULE 5 Special Penalties in the case of Certain Returns

The provisions referred to in section 17(7) of this Act are as follows—

“Special penalties in the case of certain returns

5A (1) This paragraph applies where regulations under paragraph 5 above make provision requiring any return which is to be made in accordance with a specified provision of regulations under that paragraph (the “contributions return”) to be made—

(a) at the same time as any specified return required to be made in accordance with a provision of regulations made by the Inland Revenue under section 203(2) (PAYE) or 566(1) (sub-contractors) of the [1988 c. 1.] Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 to which section 98A of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 applies (the “tax return”); or

(b) if the circumstances are such that the return mentioned in paragraph (a) above does not fall to be made, at a time defined by reference to the time for making that return, had it fallen to be made;

and, in a case falling within paragraph (b) above, any reference in the following provisions of this paragraph to the tax return shall be construed as a reference to the return there mentioned.

(2) Where this paragraph applies, regulations under paragraph 5 above may provide that section 98A of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (penalties for late, fraudulent or negligent returns) shall apply in relation to any specified provision of regulations in accordance with which the contributions return is required to be made; and where they so provide then, subject to the following provisions of this paragraph—

(a) that section shall apply in relation to the contributions return as it applies in relation to the tax return; and

(b) sections 100 to 100D and 102 to 104 of that Act shall apply in relation to a penalty under section 98A of that Act to which a person is liable by virtue of this sub-paragraph as they apply in relation to any other penalty under that section.

(3) Where a person is liable to a penalty under paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 98A of that Act (first twelve months' default) in consequence of a failure in respect of a tax return, he shall not also be liable to a penalty under that paragraph in respect of any failure in respect of the associated contributions return.

(4) In any case where—

(a) a person is liable to a penalty under subsection (2)(b) or (4) of that section (tax-related penalties) in respect of both a tax return and its associated contributions return, and

(b) an officer of the Inland Revenue authorised for the purposes of section 100 of that Act has determined that a penalty is to be imposed under that provision in respect of both returns,

the penalty so imposed shall be a single penalty of an amount not exceeding the limit determined under sub-paragraph (5) below.

(5) The limit mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) above is an amount equal to the sum of—

(a) the maximum penalty that would have been applicable under subsection (2)(b) or (4) of that section (as the case may be) for a penalty in relation to the tax return only; and

(b) the maximum penalty that would have been so applicable in relation to the associated contributions return only.

(6) So much of any single penalty imposed by virtue of sub-paragraph (4) above as is recovered by the Inland Revenue shall, after the deduction of any administrative costs of the Inland Revenue attributable to its recovery, be apportioned between the Inland Revenue and the Secretary of State in the ratio T:C, where—

• T is the maximum penalty that could have been imposed under the provision in question in relation to the tax return only; and

• C is the maximum penalty that could have been so imposed in relation to the associated contributions return only.

(7) The Inland Revenue shall, at such times and in such manner as the Treasury may direct, account to the Secretary of State for, and pay to him—

(a) the amounts apportioned to him under sub-paragraph (6) above in respect of such penalties as are there mentioned; and

(b) so much of any penalty otherwise imposed by virtue of this paragraph and recovered by the Inland Revenue as remains after the deduction by them of any administrative costs attributable to its recovery.

(8) Sub-paragraphs (6) and (7) above shall have effect notwithstanding any provision which treats a penalty under section 98A of that Act as if it were tax charged in an assessment and due and payable.

(9) In the application of section 98A of that Act by virtue of this paragraph, any reference to a year of assessment shall be construed, in relation to a contributions return, as a reference to the tax year corresponding to that year of assessment.

(10) In the application of section 100D of that Act (court proceedings for penalties in cases of fraud) by virtue of this paragraph—

(a) subsection (2) shall have effect with the omission of the words “or Northern Ireland” and paragraph (c); and

(b) subsection (3) shall have effect with the omission of the words from “and any such proceedings instituted in Northern Ireland” onwards.

(11) In the application of section 103 of that Act (time limit for recovery) by virtue of this paragraph—

(a) any reference in subsection (1) to tax shall be taken to include a reference to Class 1 contributions;

(b) any penalty by virtue of sub-paragraph (4) above shall be regarded as a penalty in respect of the tax return in question; and

(c) where, by virtue of subsection (2) (death), subsection (1)(b) does not apply in relation to a penalty under section 98A(2)(b) or (4) of that Act in respect of a tax return, it shall also not apply in relation to a penalty so imposed in respect of the associated contributions return.

(12) A penalty under section 98A of that Act as it applies by virtue of this paragraph may be imposed notwithstanding that a question arising in relation to contributions has not been determined under section 93 of this Act by the Secretary of State, except that where—

(a) any such question arises which affects a person’s liability for, or the amount of, the penalty, and

(b) either—

(i) that person requires the question to be determined under section 93, or

(ii) a question of law arising in connection with the determination of the question is, or is to be, referred to a court under section 94 of this Act,

the penalty shall not be imposed until the question has been determined under section 93 by the Secretary of State or the reference has been finally disposed of under section 94, as the case may be; but, subject to that, this paragraph is without prejudice to sections 93, 94 and 96 of this Act.

(13) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) “contributions return” and “tax return” shall be construed in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) above; and

(b) a contributions return and a tax return are “associated” if the contributions return is required to be made—

(i) at the same time as the tax return, or

(ii) where sub-paragraph (1)(b) above applies, at a time defined by reference to the time for making the tax return.”