5.—(1) The Occupational Pension Schemes (Contracting-out) Regulations 1996 are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 55(1) (scheme rules about guaranteed minimum pensions)—
(a)in sub-paragraph (b), for the words from “widow” to “appointed day” substitute “widow of the earner under the scheme in respect of the earner’s service before the principal appointed day, in a case where the earner is a man,”, and
(b)in sub-paragraph (c), for the words from “widower” to “appointed day” substitute “widower or surviving civil partner of the earner under the scheme in respect of the earner’s service before the principal appointed day, or to any widow of the earner under the scheme in respect of that service in a case where the earner is a woman,”.
(3) In regulation 69B(3) (conversion of guaranteed minimum pensions into other benefits: survivors’ benefits)—
(a)in sub-paragraph (c), for “widows” substitute “widows whose spouse was a man”, and
(b)in sub-paragraph (d), for “widowers” substitute “widowers, widows whose spouse was a woman”.