9 March 2005 - Appointment of the Deputy Pensions Ombudsman/Deputy PPF Ombudsman confirmed
The appointment of Charles Gordon as the Deputy Pensions Ombudsman (DPO)/Deputy Pensions Protection Fund Ombudsman (DPPFO) from 4th April 2005 was announced today by Pensions Minister, Malcolm Wicks.
The Deputy Pensions Ombudsman will work with the Pensions Ombudsman David Laverick to ease the burden of outstanding work. They are responsible for investigating and deciding on complaints and disputes concerning occupational and personal pension schemes. They are completely independent of the pensions industry and act as impartial adjudicators.
Malcolm Wicks said:
“I am pleased to announce that Charles Gordon will serve as the Deputy Pensions Ombudsman from 4 April 2005. Mr Gordon is currently a senior civil servant, and until recently was Head of the Adjudicator’s Office, which investigates complaints about a number of central government departments and agencies.”
David Laverick, the Pensions Ombudsman said:
“I am very pleased with this appointment. Since my arrival in September 2001, the output of the office has roughly doubled, but there is a limit to the amount of work which a single ombudsman can undertake. Charles Gordon is experienced in ombudsman processes and will be a considerable asset.”
Notes for editors
- Charles Gordon, 47, since 1999 has worked as Head of the Adjudicator’s office (reporting to Dame Barbara Mills) overseeing and adjudicating on complaints about the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise, the Insolvency Service and the Public Guardianship Office. He is a qualified lawyer, tax inspector and a senior civil servant.
- The appointment of the DPO/ DPPFO is made in accordance with Section 145A and Section 210 of the Pensions Act 2004. The appointment is for a fixed term of three years.
- In general, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Deputy can investigate complaints of injustice suffered because of maladministration by the trustees or managers of an occupational or personal pension scheme, or by the employer as to an occupational pension matter. They can also investigate disputes of fact or law concerning pension schemes between members and the trustees or managers.
- Their determinations and directions are enforceable as if they were county court judgements or orders but are subject to appeal on a point of law to the High Court, to the Court of Session in Scotland or to the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland.
- The current Pensions Ombudsman David Laverick was reappointed as Pensions Ombudsman for a second term from 1 September 2004 to 31 August 2007.
- From 1 April 2005 to 30 September 2006, David Laverick will also be appointed to the new office of PPF Ombudsman. Charles Gordon will be appointed as Deputy PPF Ombudsman for the full three year term of his appointment.
- The Pension Protection Fund has been established, under the Pensions Act 2004, to pay compensation to members of eligible defined benefit pension schemes, when there is a qualifying insolvency event in relation to the employer and where there are insufficient assets in the pension scheme to cover Pension Protection Fund levels of compensation.
- The Pensions Act 2004 provides for a two stage internal review process for the PPF Board to deal with PPF reviews of “reviewable matters” listed in that Act, and with complaints of maladministration against the PPF.
- These Ombudsman appointments are to ensure that if people remain dissatisfied following the PPF Board’s two stage process, they can refer disputes to the PPF Ombudsman. An appeal against a decision by the PPF Ombudsman can be made to the High Court (Court of Session in Scotland), but only on a point of law, and the PPF Ombudsman can also refer questions of law to these courts.
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