Local Government (Superannuation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992

7.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, unless the Committee are of opinion, on consideration of a report obtained by them under paragraph 5, that the person to whom the report relates is not in good health or they are of opinion that the evidence produced in regard to marriage or dependency is not satisfactory, they shall allow the surrender of such part of the retirement pension as is specified in the person’s notification and as is in conformity with this Schedule and shall grant to the beneficiary named in the notification a pension, payable in the event of the beneficiary’s surviving the person and to be calculated in accordance with regulation E17(4).

Provided that a decision by the Committee to allow a surrender by a retiring employee shall not be made before the date on which he ceases to be employed and a decision by the Committee to allow a surrender by a continuing employee shall not be made before the date on which he becomes such an employee.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in sub-paragraph (1), the Committee shall, if they are dissatisfied with the evidence of marriage, but are nevertheless satisfied on the evidence already before them or, after making such further enquiries as they think necessary, that a person named as spouse in the notification given under paragraph 4 is a dependant of the person who gave the notification, treat the notification as if the person named therein as spouse has been named as a dependant of the person giving the notification.

(3) As soon as is reasonably practicable after coming to a decision in regard to a notification given by a person, the Committee shall notify him that they have allowed a surrender in favour of the person named in his notification or that they have decided not to allow a surrender of any part of the retirement pension, as the case may be, and if the Committee have allowed a surrender they shall also furnish him with a statement as to the amount of the pension to which the beneficiary may become entitled after his death and, if the person who gave the notification under paragraph 4 is a retiring employee, with a statement as to the amount of the reduced retirement pension to which he is entitled.

(4) A notification of a decision not to allow a surrender shall state the grounds for the decision.

(5) A notification sent to an employee in pursuance of sub-paragraph (3) shall, if it has been posted in a prepaid envelope addressed to the employee by the Committee, be deemed to have been received by the employee at the time at which a letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.