17(1)In relation to—
(a)persons (in this paragraph and paragraph 18 of this Schedule referred to as " pre-1948 contributors ") who within the prescribed time before 5th July 1948 were, or were deemed to be or treated as, insured—
(i)under the [1935 c. 8.] Unemployment Insurance Act 1935 ; or
(ii)under the [1936 c. 32.] National Health Insurance Act 1936 ; or
(iii)under the [1936 c. 33.] Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act 1936 ; and
(b)persons (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as " pre-1948 beneficiaries ")—
(i)to or in respect of whom, immediately before 5th July 1948, any benefit, pension or allowance was, or would but for any disqualification or forfeiture have been, payable under or by virtue of the enactments repealed by the Act of 1946 ; or
(ii)who immediately before 5th July 1948 had, otherwise than as pre-1948 contributors or in respect of the insurance of pre-1948 contributors, any prospective right to or expectation of any benefit, pension or allowance under or by virtue of the enactments so repealed,
the provisions of this Act shall have effect with such modifications, additions and exceptions as may be prescribed for securing the continuity of the enactments so repeated, the Act of 1946 and this Act, or otherwise for the preservation of rights conferred under or by virtue of the enactments so repealed, or which appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the passing after this Act of any enactment directed to be construed as one therewith (except in so far as the contrary intention appears in that enactment, and without prejudice to the generality of that direction) ; and in this paragraph and in the said paragraph 18 any reference to the enactments repealed by the Act of 1946 shall include a reference to any corresponding enactments previously repealed.
(2)Regulations under the foregoing sub-paragraph shall in particular provide—
(a)as respects pre-1948 contributors—
(i)for the insurance under this Act of such of them as, on 5th July 1948, being under pensionable age, were outside Great Britain and continued in any employment outside Great Britain by virtue of which they were pre-1948 contributors ;
(ii)for modifying the conditions for receipt of benefit under this Act, whether by a pre-1948 contributor or in respect of his insurance by another, so as to take into account, for such purposes and in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, contributions paid or deemed to be or treated as paid under the enactments repealed by the Act of 1946 and periods of insurance under those enactments ;
(b)as respects pre-1948 beneficiaries, either—
(i)for substituting for any right to any benefit, pension or allowance payable under or by virtue of the said enactments a right to such benefit under this Act as may be prescribed as corresponding thereto ; or
(ii)for preserving any such right and giving effect thereto (whether under this Act or by continuing in whole or in part the operation of the said enactments in relation thereto),
but in any case subject to any modifications appearing to the Minister to be appropriate, so, however, that the maximum rate of any such benefit, pension or allowance shall not be increased above the rate of the corresponding benefit under this Act as set out in Schedule 3 thereto.