Talks over changes to teachers’ pensions are set to resume next month.

Negotiations with the teaching unions were put on hold earlier this year.

The Public Sector Pensions Authority is in negotiation with police, teachers and the judiciary on changes to their pension schemes that aim to adopt reforms to the government’s unified pension scheme, which were agreed by Tynwald earlier this year.

Changes to the unified scheme that have already been implemented include a reduction in all future service benefits by 6 per cent, which Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas MHK said would achieve a saving of 1.8 per cent of pensionable pay in the future.

From next year, there will be a 2.5 per cent increase in the contributions of all current and future new members of the scheme, staged over three years from April 2018.

Tynwald members, whose pension scheme had already been reformed and whose contributions went to a minimum of 5 per cent last year, are not included in these changes.

Problems over the transfer of pensions have been cited as a reason for difficulties in recruiting teachers from the UK.

Mr Thomas said the PSPA had been in ’lengthy negotiations’ with unions and the Department of Education and Children.

’The PSPA agreed to postpone these talks pending the latest valuation reports, which are due in July,’ he added.

’Thereafter it is anticipated that discussions will resume with a view to be in a position to agree proposals for reform and then prepare formal amendments to be laid before Tynwald for approval before April 2018.’

Mr Thomas was speaking in the House of Keys, in response to a request for an update on public sector pension reforms.

He said the PSPA had finalised ’in principle’ reforms to the police pension schemes.

’Formal consultation with affected members and the Police Federation is due to start shortly and we anticipate that formal amendments will be laid before Tynwald for approval in October.’

Formal discussions with the judiciary were due to start next month.

He added: ’The PSPA is consulting with trade unions to develop detailed proposals for cost-sharing going forward, and will shortly begin consulting on legislation to introduce formal cost-sharing to the unified scheme and thereafter the other public sector schemes.

’Cost-sharing is a further way of managing sustainability in the future by measuring and then sharing any future cost increases, or conceivably decreases, of providing benefits between scheme members and employers/government.

’I understand cost sharing has the continuing support of all the unions, including Prospect, Unite and the British Medical Association and outline rules are already incorporated into the unified scheme rules.’