1 Assumption by United Kingdom of responsibility for certain overseas pensions, etc.

(1)

The Secretary of State may make any payments falling to be made by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, or by any Minister of the Crown, in accordance with any agreement between that government and the government of an overseas territory for the assumption by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom of responsibility for the payment of such pensions, allowances or gratuities as the agreement may provide.

(2)

Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State, for the purposes—

(a)

of giving effect to any such agreement; and

(b)

of making such provision as he considers appropriate in consequence of the agreement,

may, with the consent of the Minister for the Civil Service, make, maintain and administer schemes (whether contributory or not) whereby provision is made with respect to the pensions, allowances or gratuities which, subject to the fulfilment of such requirements and conditions as may be prescribed by the schemes, are to be paid, or may be paid, by the Secretary of State to or in respect of—

(i)

such of the persons to whom the agreement applies as he may determine; and

(ii)

such other persons for whom it is appropriate, in his opinion, to provide pensions, allowances or gratuities in accordance with any such scheme.

(3)

For the purposes of this section “overseas territory” means any territory or country outside the United Kingdom, and “government of an overseas territory” includes a government constituted for two or more overseas territories, and any authority established for the purpose of providing or administering the services which are common to, or relate to matters of any interest to, two or more overseas territories.