Social Security Act 1988

13 Schemes for distribution etc. of welfare foods

(1) In this section “welfare food” means liquid cows' milk, dried milks, vitamin tablets and vitamin drops.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order add any food to or remove any food from the foods referred to in subsection (1) above.

(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations make a scheme, or a number of schemes—

(a) for the provision of welfare food; and

(b) for the making of payments to such persons as may be determined by or under the scheme who are entitled to receive a welfare food but who—

(i) do not receive it;

(ii) do not receive the amount to which they are so entitled.

(4) Any such regulations—

(a) may provide for the distribution or disposal, by or on behalf of the Secretary of State, of any welfare food, and the use or consumption of any such food;

(b) may control any prices to be charged for any welfare food provided under the scheme;

(c) may provide for an amount to be reimbursed by the Secretary of State to a supplier of any welfare food under the scheme;

(d) may provide for requiring such information or evidence as may be reasonably needed in connection with the administration of the scheme to be furnished by such persons as may be specified to an officer of the Secretary of State duly authorised in that behalf, on production by the officer (if required to do so) of his authority; and

(e) may direct that specified enactments relating to the administration of benefit under the [1975 c. 14.] Social Security Act 1975 (including enactments relating to offences and criminal proceedings) shall have effect for the purpose of the administration of the scheme, subject to any modifications specified in the regulations,

and in paragraph (e) above “modifications” includes additions, omissions and amendments.

(5) The power conferred by subsection (4) above to make regulations requiring a person to produce information or evidence shall include power to make regulations providing that—

(a) if documents specified by an officer are produced—

(i) he may take copies of them or extracts from them; and

(ii) he may require that person, or, where that person is a body corporate, any other person who is a present or past officer of, or is employed by, the body corporate, to provide an explanation of any of them; and

(b) if documents so specified are not produced, he may require the person who was required to produce them to state, to the best of his knowledge and belief, where they are.

(6) A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (2) above shall not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(7) A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (3) above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(8) Section 166(1) to (3A) of the [1975 c. 14.] Social Security Act 1975 (extent of powers) shall apply to powers conferred by this section to make regulations or orders as they apply to any power to make regulations or orders conferred by that Act but as if for references to that Act there were substituted references to this section.