Pensions Act 2004

73Inspection of premises

(1)An inspector may, for the purposes of investigating whether, in the case of any occupational pension scheme, the occupational scheme provisions are being, or have been, complied with, at any reasonable time enter premises liable to inspection.

(2)In subsection (1), the “occupational scheme provisions” means provisions contained in or made by virtue of—

(a)any of the following provisions of this Act—

• this Part;

• Part 3 (scheme funding);

• sections 241 to 243 (member-nominated trustees and directors);

• sections 247 to 249 (requirement for knowledge and understanding);

• section 252 (UK-based scheme to be trust with effective rules);

• section 253 (non-European scheme to be trust with UK-resident trustee);

• section 255 (activities of occupational pension schemes);

• section 256 (no indemnification for fines or civil penalties);

• sections 259 and 261 (consultation by employers);

• Part 7 (cross-border activities within European Union);

• Part 9 (miscellaneous and supplementary);

(b)either of the following provisions of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30)—

• section 33 (time for discharge of pension credit liability);

• section 45 (information);

(c)any of the provisions of Part 1 of the Pensions Act 1995 (c. 26) (occupational pension schemes), other than—

(i)sections 51 to 54 (indexation), and

(ii)sections 62 to 65 (equal treatment);

(d)any of the following provisions of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48)—

• Chapter 4 of Part 4 (transfer values);

• Chapter 5 of Part 4 (early leavers: cash transfer sums and contribution refunds);

• Chapter 2 of Part 4A (pension credit transfer values);

• section 113 (information);

• section 175 (levy);

(e)any provisions in force in Northern Ireland corresponding to any provisions within paragraphs (a) to (d).

(3)An inspector may, for the purposes of investigating whether, in the case of a stakeholder scheme—

(a)sections 1 and 2(4) of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (stakeholder pension schemes: registration etc), or

(b)any corresponding provisions in force in Northern Ireland,

are being, or have been, complied with, at any reasonable time enter premises liable to inspection.

(4)An inspector may, for the purposes of investigating whether, in the case of any trust-based personal stakeholder scheme, the trust-based scheme provisions are being, or have been, complied with, at any reasonable time enter premises liable to inspection.

(5)In subsection (4)—

• “trust-based personal stakeholder scheme” means a personal pension scheme which—

  (a)

  is a stakeholder scheme, and

  (b)

  is established under a trust;

  the “trust-based scheme provisions” means any provisions contained in or made by virtue of—

  (a)

  any provision which applies in relation to trust-based personal stakeholder schemes by virtue of paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), as the provision applies by virtue of that paragraph, or

  (b)

  any corresponding provision in force in Northern Ireland.

(6)Premises are liable to inspection for the purposes of this section if the inspector has reasonable grounds to believe that—

(a)members of the scheme are employed there,

(b)documents relevant to the administration of the scheme are being kept there, or

(c)the administration of the scheme, or work connected with that administration, is being carried out there.

(7)In this section, “stakeholder scheme” means an occupational pension scheme or a personal pension scheme which is or has been registered under—

(a)section 2 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (register of stakeholder schemes), or

(b)any corresponding provision in force in Northern Ireland.