Statutory Instruments

1974 No. 1055

CONSTABULARY, IRELAND

The Royal Irish Constabulary (Widows' Pensions) (Amendment) Regulations 1974

Made

17th June 1974

Laid before Parliament

27th June 1974

Coming into Operation

22nd July 1974

In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 1 of the Royal Irish Constabulary (Widows' Pensions) Act 1954, I hereby, with the consent of the Minister for the Civil Service(1), make the following Regulations:—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Royal Irish Constabulary (Widows' Pensions) (Amendment) Regulations 1974 and shall come into operation on 22nd July 1974.

2. For paragraph (1) of Regulation 3 of the Royal Irish Constabulary (Widows' Pensions) Regulations 1971(2), as amended(3), (interpretation) there shall be substituted the following provision:—

“(1) In these Regulations “the standard weekly rate” means the rate of £10.00 a week unless the widow is over the age of 80 years in which case it means the rate of £10·25 a week.”.

Consent of the Minister for the Civil Service given under his Official Seal on 17th June 1974.

Roy Jenkins

One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State

14th June 1974

K. H. McNeill

Authorised by the Minister for the Civil Service

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Under the Royal Irish Constabulary (Widows' Pensions) Regulations 1971 there may be paid to certain widows of former members of the Royal Irish Constabulary a pension or an allowance supplementary to an existing pension. A pension or allowance is not payable under the 1971 Regulations unless the rate of any state insurance benefit received by the widow is less than the standard weekly rate of £7·75 or, where the widow is over the age of 80 years, of £8·00.

Subject to a minimum rate of £0·25 a week in the case of a pension, such an award is to be at such rate as will secure that the combined rate of the Royal Irish Constabulary awards and the widow's state insurance benefit, if any, is equal to the standard weekly rate: for this purpose state insurance benefit means any benefit or pension under the National Insurance Act 1965 (c. 51) or the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965 (c. 52) or similar benefit or pension paid out of public funds in Northern Ireland, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland.

The present Regulations increase the standard weekly rate to £10 a week in the case of a widow who is not over the age of 80 years and to £10·25 a week in the case of a widow who is over that age.

(1)

Formerly the Treasury; see S.I. 1968/1656 (1968 III, p. 4485).

(2)

(1971 III, p. 4147).

(3)

The relevant amending instrument is S.I. 1973/1481 (1973 II, p. 4541).