*Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport v BT Pension Scheme Trustees Ltd and another

Pension – Pension scheme. The trustees of the BT pension scheme had asked the court to determine the extent of the Crown guarantee pursuant to s 68 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 as it applied to the pension scheme. The Crown guarantee had been given at the time when the British Telecommunications Corporation had been privatised and had become British Telecommunications plc (BT). The judge had made declarations as to the interpretation of cl 20 of the deed that had established the scheme and s 68 of the Act. The Court of Appeal, Civil Division, allowed the Secretary of State's appeal in part. Clause 20 of the deed did not impose an obligation upon the Corporation, or therefore upon BT, to pay the buy-out lump sum on the termination of the scheme. Further, the Crown guarantee did cover contributions by BT in respect of post-transfer joiners.