Part VI Miscellaneous and supplementary provisions

Provisions relating to government finance

153 National savings certificates.

1

This section applies to a national savings certificate issued under section 12 of the M1National Loans Act 1968 if—

a

it was purchased on or before 7th October 1999, and

b

the fifth anniversary of its purchase falls after the day on which this Act is passed.

2

The power of the Treasury (under the prospectus under which the certificate was issued) to alter or end the extension terms for the certificate shall have effect as if it included power for the Treasury to decide before the fifth anniversary of the certificate’s purchase that the extension terms for the certificate are to involve it (so far as not cashed in) undergoing automatic roll-over on that anniversary.

3

Where a certificate undergoes automatic roll-over on any occasion, the Treasury has power to decide before the fifth anniversary of that occasion that the extension terms for the certificate are to involve it (so far as not cashed in) undergoing automatic roll-over on that anniversary.

4

For the purposes of this section a certificate undergoes “automatic roll-over” on an occasion if during the period of 5 years beginning with that occasion the certificate (so far as not cashed in) will earn interest as though it were a national savings certificate—

a

purchased on that occasion for a term of 5 years at a price equal to the value (rounded, if necessary, to the nearest penny) of the certificate on that occasion, and

b

earning such interest (whether at fixed rates or at rates that give effect to index-linking or partly one and partly the other) as has been decided by the Treasury before that occasion.

5

Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a certificate to which this section applies continues (so far as not cashed in) to be held on the terms of the prospectus under which it was issued.

However, any obligation of the Director of Savings to take steps to inform the holder of the certificate before the fifth anniversary of its purchase of what is to happen to the certificate after that anniversary extends to taking the corresponding steps in relation to the fifth anniversary of each occasion on which the certificate has undergone automatic roll-over.

6

Nothing in this section shall be taken as prejudicing the rights of the holder of a certificate to which this section applies to apply at any time to cash in the certificate.

7

References in this section to cashing in a certificate include reinvesting it.