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.".

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.