Remedy Implementation for Police Pension Scheme: FOI release

Information requested

The following information in relation to the Police Pension Scheme and Remedy:

1. How much additional resources/staffing have the Government put in place to deal with this additional workload that they themselves have created for the SPPA? (I would hazard a guess at none! however I would prefer a definitive answer).

2. When the SPPA reply to officers stating that "they have been given 18 months to deal with this" does that mean they are unwilling or unable to deal with "immediate" requests, or indeed both?

3. If the distribution of the RSS has been "planned" where is the copy of the plan? How can scheme members view it?

4. Who within the SPPA determines which scheme members "may benefit the most from their choice" and what is the criteria they are working to?

5. How many RSS's have(will) the SPPA sent out in October 2023?

Response

1. How much additional resources/staffing have the Government put in place to deal with this additional workload that they themselves have created for the SPPA? (I would hazard a guess at none! however I would prefer a definitive answer).

We have £2.4m assigned for this current financial year to help plan and manage the necessary activities associated with the 2015 Remedy changes.

2. When the SPPA reply to officers stating that "they have been given 18 months to deal with this" does that mean they are unwilling or unable to deal with "immediate" requests, or indeed both?

Timescales for the various elements of 2015 remedy are set out in the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022, the Police Pensions (Remediable Service) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 and HM Treasury Directions. SPPA will comply with the requirement to provide Remediable Service Statements (RSS) to individuals categorised as “immediate choice members” within 18 months of 1 October 2023, but will aim to do so as soon as possible.

3. If the distribution of the RSS has been "planned" where is the copy of the plan? How can scheme members view it?

A schedule of setting out proposed timescales for the distribution of RSS to immediate choice members has been agreed between the SPPA and police stakeholder representatives of the Police Pension Board.

It is anticipated that immediate choice members who were unprotected or taper-protected members under Schedule 4 of the Police Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulation 2015 are expected to receive an RSS between January 2024 and November 2024. However these will be issued as early as capacity allows.

This schedule is due to be published on the SPPA website by the end of November to allow eligible pensioners to understand when they can expect to receive an RSS.

4. Who within the SPPA determines which scheme members "may benefit the most from their choice" and what is the criteria they are working to?

The prioritisation of RSS has been scheduled on the basis that members' whose benefits in respect of the remediable service period are currently being paid as reformed scheme benefits may benefit most from receiving their choice first. Additional priority has been assigned to members who have retired with ill-health benefits, and to survivors of deceased eligible members. This decision was made jointly between SPPA's 2015 Remedy Programme, Police Scotland and Staff Association.

5. How many RSS's have (will) the SPPA sent out in October 2023?

No RSS have been issued to Immediate Choice members (i.e. Members who are already retired) in October. However, 102 Deferred Choice members who retired in October 2023 were provided with RSS.

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