Scottish Public Pensions Agency responsibilities around Remedy arrangements for police pension schemes: FOI release

Information requested

This FOI request concerns the SPPA responsibilities around the 2015 Remedy arrangements for police pension schemes and the decisions around prioritisation of the issue of Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) and the fact that SPPA breached the 31st March statutory deadline to issue RSSs to thousands of unprotected pensioners in financial detriment.

Specifically, it relates to a response to a previous FOI request (reference 202500468662) provided by SPPA which is attached to this email.

Within this response to question 5, SPPA suggests that the reason for the delay in RSS issue to unprotected members was due to advice required from HM Treasury and the Government's Actuary Department (GAD).

SPPA is apparently stating that in March 2025, SPPA were unable to progress RSS issue to unprotected members due to a lack of advice from these UK Government functions and could only send RSSs to 2831 fully protected members as a result.

I wish to confirm the following from SPPA so I can consider the response and the need to similarly contact UK Government on the answers provided by SPPA.

1. When did SPPA become aware that they could not issue RSSs to unprotected members before the statutory deadline due to a lack of advice from either UK Treasury or GAD?

2. When did SPPA ask either UK Treasury or GAD for clarification on this?

3. When did SPPA receive answers from both UK Government agencies to allow RSS issue to unprotected members?

4. What advice specifically was required that prevented RSS issue to unprotected members and not fully protected members?

5. Can SPPA provide a copy of the written requests sent to these UK Government agencies and details of the reply given with appropriate relevant references?

6. Who were the SPOCs at both UK Treasury and GAD whom SPPA communicated with on this advice?

7. Was this required advice specific to SPPA or did it impact public pension administrators throughout the UK and delay RSS issue to unprotected members in other parts of the UK?

8. How many Remedy planning meetings did the SPPA hold with HM Treasury and GAD between September 2024 and March 2025 inclusive?

9. Were minutes kept for the aforementioned meetings?

10. Did either UK Treasury or GAD raise previous concerns with SPPA about the latter's ability to meet the deadline for sending RSSs to unprotected members?

Response

1. SPPA became aware in February 2025 that they could not issue RSSs to unprotected members before the statutory deadline, due to outstanding clarification on a number of calculations from UK Treasury, HMRC or GAD.

2. Dialogue commenced around calculation clarification with GAD in October 2024.

3. SPPA received answers from GAD and HMRC in March 2025 to enable calculation updates to systems to be made before RSS issue to unprotected members could commence.

4. In particular, the treatment of Unauthorised Payment Charge and the subsequent implications for the member which would not be applicable to protected members.

5. Please find attached a redacted email sent to GAD and HMRC in February 2025. During our search, we were unable to find an email reply on record.

6. Under 38(1)(b) - Third party personal data, we are unable to provide an answer to this question as it relates to personal information.

7. Other parts of the UK have been similarly impacted.

8. There were 35+ scheduled weekly calls between SPPA and between September 2024 and March 2025 GAD. In addition, there were routine meetings with HM treasury that ran fortnightly during that time, however these were round table cross-departmental meetings with representation from all McCloud impacted PS pension scheme authorities. These were information cascade and discussion forums rather than specific planning meetings.

9. Formal minutes were not kept for the aforementioned calls.

10. The GAD role is to provide assurance to the calculations and how the Remedy guidance is interpreted and applied. Matters around policy and correct interpretation of guidelines were also discussed with HMRC and HM Treasury, but not delivery deadlines.

About FOI

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FOI 202500473537 - Information released - Annex

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