HC Deb 19 May 1980 vol 985 cc84-5W
Mr. Palmer

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which nationalised industries for which his Department is responsible increase the pensions of their employees by the following methods (a) under the statutory obligations of section 59 of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975, (b) under their respective trust deeds as if under the 1975 Act, (c) by fully increasing pensions in other forms and (d) by awarding discretionary increases.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The Social Security Pensions Act 1975 does not apply to Northern Ireland. The equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland is the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975. In Northern Ireland the term " nationalised industry ", is usually taken to mean the Northern Ireland Electricity Service and the transport undertakings.

The pension scheme operated by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service is similar to those in the electricity supply industry in Great Britain. In certain circumstances the pensions paid by the Electricity Service are increased under article 69 of the order. Increases may also be paid by other methods from time to time to take account of increases in the cost of living.

Pensions in payment to employees of the Northern Ireland transport undertakings are increased as follows:

  1. (i) Under the statutory obligations of article 69 of the order. This method applies to employees who are members of the Northern Ireland local government officers superannuation committee scheme, that is all staff employed by Citybus and weekly paid staff of Ulsterbus and Northern Ireland Railways.
  2. (ii) Under their respective trust deeds as if under the order. This applies to employees who are members of private schemes which 85 are index-linked, that is salaried staff of Ulsterbus and Northern Ireland Railways and all staff in the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company.
  3. (iii) By the award of discretionary increases. This applies to employees who are members of private schemes which are not index-linked but which make some provision for periodic increases, that is all staff in Northern Ireland Carriers and Northern Ireland Airports.