Part I Decisions and Appeals

Chapter I General

Decisions

1 Transfer of functions to Secretary of State

The following functions are hereby transferred to the Secretary of State, namely–

(a) the functions of adjudication officers appointed under section 38 of the [1992 c. 5.] Social Security Administration Act 1992 ("the Administration Act");

(b) the functions of social fund officers appointed under section 64 of that Act; and

(c) the functions of child support officers appointed under section 13 of the [1991 c. 48.] Child Support Act 1991 ("the Child Support Act").

2 Use of computers

(1) Any decision, determination or assessment falling to be made or certificate falling to be issued by the Secretary of State under or by virtue of a relevant enactment, or in relation to a war pension, may be made or issued not only by an officer of his acting under his authority but also–

(a) by a computer for whose operation such an officer is responsible; and

(b) in the case of a decision, determination or assessment that may be made or a certificate that may be issued by a person providing services to the Secretary of State, by a computer for whose operation such a person is responsible.

(2) In this section "relevant enactment" means any enactment contained in–

(a) Chapter II of this Part;

(b) the [1992 c. 4.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 ("the Contributions and Benefits Act");

(c) the Administration Act;

(d) the Child Support Act;

(e) the [1994 c. 18.] Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994;

(f) the [1995 c. 18.] Jobseekers Act 1995 ("the Jobseekers Act");

(g) the [1995 c. 34.] Child Support Act 1995; or

(h) the [1997 c. 27.] Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997.

(3) In this section and section 3 below "war pension" has the same meaning as in section 25 of the [1989 c. 24.] Social Security Act 1989 (establishment and functions of war pensions committees).

3 Use of information

(1) Subsection (2) below applies to information relating to social security, child support or war pensions which is held–

(a) by the Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department; or

(b) by a person providing services to the Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department in connection with the provision of those services.

(2) Information to which this subsection applies–

(a) may be used for the purposes of, or for any purposes connected with, the exercise of functions in relation to social security, child support or war pensions; and

(b) may be supplied to, or to a person providing services to, the Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department for use for those purposes.

(3) The following sections, namely–

(a) section 122C of the Administration Act (supply of information to authorities administering benefit); and

(b) section 122D of that Act (supply of information by authorities administering benefit),

shall each have effect as if the reference in subsection (1) to social security included references to child support and war pensions.

(4) In this section "the Northern Ireland Department" means the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland.

Appeals

4 Unified appeal tribunals

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act–

(a) the functions of social security appeal tribunals, disability appeal tribunals and medical appeal tribunals constituted under Part II of the Administration Act;

(b) the functions of child support appeal tribunals established under section 21 of the Child Support Act; and

(c) the functions of vaccine damage tribunals established by regulations made under section 4 of the [1979 c. 17.] Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 ("the Vaccine Damage Payments Act"),

are hereby transferred to appeal tribunals constituted under the following provisions of this Chapter.

(2) Accordingly appeals under–

(a) section 12 below;

(b) section 20 of the Child Support Act, as substituted by section 42 below;

(c) section 4 of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act, as substituted by section 46 below; and

(d) section 11 of the [1997 c. 27.] Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997,

shall be determined by appeal tribunals so constituted (in the following provisions of this Chapter referred to as "appeal tribunals").

5 President of appeal tribunals

(1) The Lord Chancellor may, after consultation with the Lord Advocate, appoint a President of appeal tribunals.

(2) A person is qualified to be appointed President if–

(a) he has a 10 year general qualification (construed in accordance with section 71 of the [1990 c. 41.] Courts and Legal Services Act 1990); or

(b) he is an advocate or solicitor in Scotland of at least 10 years' standing.

(3) Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect for supplementing this section.

6 Panel for appointment to appeal tribunals

(1) The Lord Chancellor shall constitute a panel of persons to act as members of appeal tribunals.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, the panel shall be composed of such persons as the Lord Chancellor thinks fit to appoint after consultation, in the case of medical practitioners, with the Chief Medical Officer.

(3) The panel shall include persons possessing such qualifications as may be prescribed by regulations made with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor.

(4) The numbers of persons appointed to the panel, and the terms and conditions of their appointments, shall be determined by the Lord Chancellor with the consent of the Secretary of State.

(5) A person may be removed from the panel by the Lord Chancellor on the ground of incapacity or misbehaviour.

(6) In this section "the Chief Medical Officer" means–

(a) in relation to England, the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health;

(b) in relation to Wales, the Chief Medical Officer of the Welsh Office; and

(c) in relation to Scotland, the Chief Medical Officer of the Scottish Office.

7 Constitution of appeal tribunals

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, an appeal tribunal shall consist of one, two or three members drawn by the President from the panel constituted under section 6 above.

(2) The member, or (as the case may be) at least one member, of an appeal tribunal must–

(a) have a general qualification (construed in accordance with section 71 of the [1990 c. 41.] Courts and Legal Services Act 1990); or

(b) be an advocate or solicitor in Scotland.

(3) Where an appeal tribunal has more than one member–

(a) the President shall nominate one of the members as chairman;

(b) decisions shall be taken by a majority of votes; and

(c) unless regulations otherwise provide, the chairman shall have any casting vote.

(4) Where it appears to an appeal tribunal that a matter before it involves a question of fact of special difficulty, then, unless regulations otherwise provide, the tribunal may require one or more experts to provide assistance to it in dealing with the question.

(5) In subsection (4) above "expert" means a member of the panel constituted under section 6 above who appears to the appeal tribunal concerned to have knowledge or experience which would be relevant in determining the question of fact of special difficulty.

(6) Regulations shall make provision with respect to–

(a) the composition of appeal tribunals;

(b) the procedure to be followed in allocating cases among differently constituted tribunals; and

(c) the manner in which expert assistance is to be given under subsection (4) above.

(7) Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect for supplementing this section.

Chapter II Social Security Decisions and Appeals

Decisions

8 Decisions by Secretary of State

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, it shall be for the Secretary of State–

(a) to decide any claim for a relevant benefit;

(b) to decide any claim for a social fund payment mentioned in section 138(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(c) subject to subsection (5) below, to make any decision that falls to be made under or by virtue of a relevant enactment; and

(d) subject to and in accordance with regulations, to decide any issue arising as to, or in connection with, entitlement to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay.

(2) Where at any time a claim for a relevant benefit is decided by the Secretary of State–

(a) the claim shall not be regarded as subsisting after that time; and

(b) accordingly, the claimant shall not (without making a further claim) be entitled to the benefit on the basis of circumstances not obtaining at that time.

(3) In this Chapter "relevant benefit", subject to section 21(4) below, means any of the following, namely–

(a) benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(b) a jobseeker´s allowance;

(c) income support;

(d) family credit;

(e) disability working allowance;

(f) a social fund payment mentioned in section 138(1)(a) or (2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(g) child benefit;

(h) such other benefit as may be prescribed.

(4) In this section "relevant enactment" means any enactment contained in this Chapter, the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Administration Act, the [1992 c. 6.] Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 or the Jobseekers Act, other than one contained in–

(a) Part VII of the Contributions and Benefits Act so far as relating to housing benefit and council tax benefit;

(b) Part VIII of the Administration Act (arrangements for housing benefit and council tax benefit and related subsidies).

(5) Subsection (1)(c) above does not include any decision relating to Class 4 contributions other than a decision falling to be made–

(a) under subsection (1) of section 17 of the Contributions and Benefits Act as to whether by regulations under that subsection a person is excepted from liability for Class 4 contributions, or his liability is deferred; or

(b) under regulations made by virtue of subsection (3) or (4) of that section or section 18 of that Act.

9 Revision of decisions

(1) Subject to section 36(3) below, any decision of the Secretary of State under section 8 above or section 10 below may be revised by the Secretary of State–

(a) either within the prescribed period or in prescribed cases or circumstances; and

(b) either on an application made for the purpose or on his own initiative;

and regulations may prescribe the procedure by which a decision of the Secretary of State may be so revised.

(2) In making a decision under subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause him to act on his own initiative.

(3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) and section 27 below, a revision under this section shall take effect as from the date on which the original decision took (or was to take) effect.

(4) Regulations may provide that, in prescribed cases or circumstances, a revision under this section shall take effect as from such other date as may be prescribed.

(5) Where a decision is revised under this section, for the purpose of any rule as to the time allowed for bringing an appeal, the decision shall be regarded as made on the date on which it is so revised.

(6) Except in prescribed circumstances, an appeal against a decision of the Secretary of State shall lapse if the decision is revised under this section before the appeal is determined.

10 Decisions superseding earlier decisions

(1) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) and section 36(3) below, the following, namely–

(a) any decision of the Secretary of State under section 8 above or this section, whether as originally made or as revised under section 9 above; and

(b) any decision under this Chapter of an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner,

may be superseded by a decision made by the Secretary of State, either on an application made for the purpose or on his own initiative.

(2) In making a decision under subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause him to act on his own initiative.

(3) Regulations may prescribe the cases and circumstances in which, and the procedure by which, a decision may be made under this section.

(4) Subsection (1)(a) above does not apply in the case of a decision of the Secretary of State under subsection (1)(c) of section 8 above where the relevant enactment within the meaning of that section is section 121C or 121D of the Administration Act (liability of directors etc. for company´s contributions).

(5) Subject to subsection (6) and section 27 below, a decision under this section shall take effect as from the date on which it is made or, where applicable, the date on which the application was made.

(6) Regulations may provide that, in prescribed cases or circumstances, a decision under this section shall take effect as from such other date as may be prescribed.

11 Regulations with respect to decisions

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter and the Administration Act, provision may be made by regulations for the making of any decision by the Secretary of State under or in connection with the current legislation, or the former legislation, including a decision on a claim for benefit.

(2) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a matter before him involves a question of fact requiring special expertise, he may direct that in dealing with that matter he shall have the assistance of one or more experts.

(3) In this section–

• "the current legislation" means the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Jobseekers Act and the [1997 c. 27.] Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997;

• "expert" means a person appearing to the Secretary of State to have knowledge or experience which would be relevant in determining the question of fact requiring special expertise;

• "the former legislation" means the National Insurance Acts 1965 to 1974, the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts 1965 to 1974, the [1975 c. 14.] Social Security Act 1975 and Part II of the [1986 c. 50.] Social Security Act 1986.

Appeals

12 Appeal to appeal tribunal

(1) This section applies to any decision of the Secretary of State under section 8 or 10 above (whether as originally made or as revised under section 9 above) which–

(a) is made on a claim for, or on an award of, a relevant benefit, and does not fall within Schedule 2 to this Act;

(b) is made otherwise than on such a claim or award, and falls within Schedule 3 to this Act; or

(c) relates to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay.

(2) In the case of a decision to which this section applies–

(a) if it relates to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay, the employee and employer concerned shall each have a right to appeal to an appeal tribunal; and

(b) in any other case, the claimant and such other person as may be prescribed shall have a right to do so;

but nothing in this subsection shall confer a right of appeal in relation to a prescribed decision, or a prescribed determination embodied in or necessary to a decision.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) above shall not prescribe any decision or determination that relates to the conditions of entitlement to a relevant benefit for which a claim has been validly made or for which no claim is required.

(4) Where the Secretary of State has determined that any amount is recoverable under or by virtue of section 71 or 74 of the Administration Act, any person from whom he has determined that it is recoverable shall have the same right of appeal to an appeal tribunal as a claimant.

(5) In any case where–

(a) the Secretary of State has made a decision in relation to a claim under Part V of the Contributions and Benefits Act; and

(b) the entitlement to benefit under that Part of that Act of any person other than the claimant is or may be, under Part VI of Schedule 7 to that Act, affected by that decision,

that other person shall have the same right of appeal to an appeal tribunal as the claimant.

(6) A person with a right of appeal under this section shall be given such notice of a decision to which this section applies and of that right as may be prescribed.

(7) Regulations may make provision as to the manner in which, and the time within which, appeals are to be brought.

(8) In deciding an appeal under this section, an appeal tribunal–

(a) need not consider any issue that is not raised by the appeal; and

(b) shall not take into account any circumstances not obtaining at the time when the decision appealed against was made.

(9) The reference in subsection (1) above to a decision under section 10 above is a reference to a decision superseding any such decision as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) of that section.

13 Redetermination etc. of appeals by tribunal

(1) This section applies where an application is made to a person under section 14(10)(a) below for leave to appeal from a decision of an appeal tribunal.

(2) If the person considers that the decision was erroneous in point of law, he may set aside the decision and refer the case either for redetermination by the tribunal or for determination by a differently constituted tribunal.

(3) If each of the principal parties to the case expresses the view that the decision was erroneous in point of law, the person shall set aside the decision and refer the case for determination by a differently constituted tribunal.

(4) In this section and section 14 below "principal parties" means–

(a) in a case relating to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay, the persons mentioned in subsection (2)(a), (b) and (c) of that section;

(b) in any other case–

(i) the persons mentioned in subsection (3)(a) and (b) of that section; and

(ii) where applicable, the person mentioned in subsection (3)(d) and such a person as is first mentioned in subsection (4) of that section.

14 Appeal from tribunal to Commissioner

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, an appeal lies to a Commissioner from any decision of an appeal tribunal under section 12 or 13 above on the ground that the decision of the tribunal was erroneous in point of law.

(2) In the case of statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay an appeal lies under this section at the instance of any of the following–

(a) the Secretary of State;

(b) the employee concerned;

(c) the employer concerned;

(d) a trade union, where–

(i) the employee is a member of the union at the time of the appeal and was so immediately before the matter in question arose; or

(ii) the matter in question concerns the entitlement of a deceased person who was at the time of his death a member of the union; and

(e) an association of employers of which the employer is a member at the time of the appeal and was so immediately before the matter in question arose.

(3) In any other case an appeal lies under this section at the instance of any of the following–

(a) the Secretary of State;

(b) the claimant and such other person as may be prescribed;

(c) in any of the cases mentioned in subsection (5) below, a trade union; and

(d) a person from whom it is determined that any amount is recoverable under or by virtue of section 71 or 74 of the Administration Act.

(4) In a case relating to industrial injuries benefit an appeal lies under this section at the instance of a person whose entitlement to benefit is, or may be, under Part VI of Schedule 7 to the Contributions and Benefits Act, affected by the decision appealed against, as well as at the instance of any person or body such as is mentioned in subsection (3) above.

(5) The following are the cases in which an appeal lies at the instance of a trade union–

(a) where the claimant is a member of the union at the time of the appeal and was so immediately before the matter in question arose;

(b) where that matter in any way relates to a deceased person who was a member of the union at the time of his death;

(c) where the case relates to industrial injuries benefit and the claimant or, in relation to industrial death benefit, the deceased, was a member of the union at the time of the relevant accident.

(6) Subsections (2), (3) and (5) above, as they apply to a trade union, apply also to any other association which exists to promote the interests and welfare of its members.

(7) If each of the principal parties to the appeal expresses the view that the decision appealed against was erroneous in point of law, the Commissioner may set aside the decision and refer the case to a tribunal with directions for its determination.

(8) Where the Commissioner holds that the decision appealed against was erroneous in point of law, he shall set it aside and–

(a) he shall have power–

(i) to give the decision which he considers the tribunal should have given, if he can do so without making fresh or further findings of fact; or

(ii) if he considers it expedient, to make such findings and to give such decision as he considers appropriate in the light of them; and

(b) in any other case he shall refer the case to a tribunal with directions for its determination.

(9) Subject to any direction of the Commissioner, a reference under subsection (7) or (8)(b) above shall be to a differently constituted tribunal.

(10) No appeal lies under this section without the leave–

(a) of the person who constituted, or was the chairman of, the tribunal when the decision was given or, in a prescribed case, the leave of such other person as may be prescribed; or

(b) subject to and in accordance with regulations, of a Commissioner.

(11) Regulations may make provision as to the manner in which, and the time within which, appeals are to be brought and applications made for leave to appeal.

(12) Schedule 4 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the appointment, remuneration and tenure of office of Commissioners and other matters relating to them.

15 Appeal from Commissioner on point of law

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, an appeal on a question of law shall lie to the appropriate court from any decision of a Commissioner.

(2) No appeal under this section shall lie from a decision except–

(a) with the leave of the Commissioner who gave the decision or, in a prescribed case, with the leave of a Commissioner selected in accordance with regulations; or

(b) if he refuses leave, with the leave of the appropriate court.

(3) An application for leave under this section in respect of a Commissioner´s decision may only be made by–

(a) a person who, before the proceedings before the Commissioner were begun, was entitled to appeal to the Commissioner from the decision to which the Commissioner´s decision relates;

(b) any other person who was a party to the proceedings in which the first decision mentioned in paragraph (a) above was given;

(c) any other person who is authorised by regulations to apply for leave;

and regulations may make provision with respect to the manner in which and the time within which applications must be made to a Commissioner for leave under this section and with respect to the procedure for dealing with such applications.

(4) On an application to a Commissioner for leave under this section it shall be the duty of the Commissioner to specify as the appropriate court–

(a) the Court of Appeal if it appears to him that the relevant place is in England or Wales;

(b) the Court of Session if it appears to him that the relevant place is in Scotland; and

(c) the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland if it appears to him that the relevant place is in Northern Ireland,

except that if it appears to him, having regard to the circumstances of the case and in particular to the convenience of the persons who may be parties to the proposed appeal, that he should specify a different court mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) above as the appropriate court, it shall be his duty to specify that court as the appropriate court.

(5) In this section–

• "the appropriate court", except in subsection (4) above, means the court specified in pursuance of that subsection;

• "the relevant place", in relation to an application for leave to appeal from a decision of a Commissioner, means the premises where the person or authority whose decision was the subject of the Commissioner´s decision usually exercises his or its functions.

Procedure etc.

16 Procedure

(1) Regulations ("procedure regulations") may make any such provision as is specified in Schedule 5 to this Act.

(2) Procedure regulations prescribing the procedure to be followed in cases before a Commissioner shall provide that any hearing shall be in public except in so far as the Commissioner for special reasons otherwise directs.

(3) It is hereby declared–

(a) that the power to prescribe procedure includes power to make provision as to the representation of one person, at any hearing of a case, by another person whether having professional qualifications or not; and

(b) that the power to provide for the procedure to be followed in connection with the making of decisions by the Secretary of State includes power to make provision with respect to the formulation of the matters to be decided, whether on a reference under section 117 of the Administration Act or otherwise.

(4) Subsection (5) below applies to any issue–

(a) as to whether a Class 1A contribution is payable, or otherwise relating to a Class 1A contribution; or

(b) relating to emoluments in respect of which a Class 1A contribution would be payable but for section 10(8A) of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

and in that subsection, in relation to such an issue, "the relevant person" means the person who is liable or alleged to be liable, or (as the case may be) who would be liable or who it is alleged would be liable, to pay the Class 1A contribution in question.

(5) In proceedings for the determination of an issue to which this subsection applies–

(a) in England and Wales, there shall be available to a witness (other than the relevant person) any privilege against self-incrimination or incrimination of a spouse which is available to a witness in legal proceedings; and

(b) in Scotland, section 3 of the [1853 c. 20.] Evidence (Scotland) Act 1853 (competence and compellability of witnesses) shall apply as it applies to civil proceedings except that the relevant person shall have no privilege against self-incrimination.

(6) If it appears to a Commissioner that a matter before him involves a question of fact of special difficulty, he may direct that in dealing with that matter he shall have the assistance of one or more experts.

In this subsection "expert" means a person appearing to the Commissioner to have knowledge or experience which would be relevant in determining the question of fact of special difficulty.

(7) If it appears to the Chief Commissioner (or, in the case of his inability to act, to such other of the Commissioners as he may have nominated to act for the purpose) that–

(a) an application for leave under section 14(10)(b) above; or

(b) an appeal,

falling to be heard by one of the Commissioners involves a question of law of special difficulty, he may direct that the application or appeal be dealt with, not by that Commissioner alone, but by a tribunal consisting of any three or more of the Commissioners.

If the decision of the tribunal is not unanimous, the decision of the majority shall be the decision of the tribunal; and the presiding Commissioner shall have a casting vote if the votes are equally divided.

(8) Where a direction is given under subsection (7)(a) above, section 14(10)(b) above shall have effect as if the reference to a Commissioner were a reference to such a tribunal as is mentioned in subsection (7) above.

(9) Except so far as it may be applied in relation to England and Wales by procedure regulations, Part I of the [1996 c. 23.] Arbitration Act 1996 shall not apply to any proceedings under this Chapter.

17 Finality of decisions

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, any decision made in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Chapter shall be final; and subject to the provisions of any regulations under section 11 above, any decision made in accordance with those regulations shall be final.

(2) If and to the extent that regulations so provide, any finding of fact or other determination embodied in or necessary to such a decision, or on which such a decision is based, shall be conclusive for the purposes of–

(a) further such decisions;

(b) decisions made under the Child Support Act; and

(c) decisions made under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act.

18 Matters arising as respects decisions

(1) Regulations may make provision as respects matters arising–

(a) pending any decision under this Chapter of the Secretary of State, an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner which relates to–

(i) any claim for a relevant benefit;

(ii) any person´s entitlement to such a benefit or its receipt;

(iii) statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay; or

(iv) any person´s liability for contributions; or

(b) out of the revision under section 9 above or on appeal of any such decision.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) above as it applies to child benefit may include provision as to the date from which child benefit is to be payable to a person in respect of a child in a case where, before the benefit was awarded to that person, child benefit in respect of the child was awarded to another person.

Medical examinations

19 Medical examination required by Secretary of State

(1) Before making a decision on a claim for a relevant benefit, or as to a person´s entitlement to such a benefit or to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay, the Secretary of State may refer the person–

(a) in respect of whom the claim is made; or

(b) whose entitlement is at issue,

to a medical practitioner for such examination and report as appears to the Secretary of State to be necessary for the purpose of providing him with information for use in making the decision.

(2) Subsection (3) below applies where–

(a) the Secretary of State has exercised the power conferred on him by subsection (1) above; and

(b) the medical practitioner requests the person referred to him to attend for or submit himself to medical examination.

(3) If the person fails without good cause to comply with the request, the Secretary of State shall make the decision against him.

20 Medical examination required by appeal tribunal

(1) This section applies where an appeal has been brought under section 12 above against a decision on a claim for a relevant benefit, or as to a person´s entitlement to such a benefit or to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay.

(2) An eligible person may, if prescribed conditions are satisfied, refer the person–

(a) in respect of whom the claim is made; or

(b) whose entitlement is at issue,

to a medical practitioner for such examination and report as appears to the eligible person to be necessary for the purpose of providing an appeal tribunal with information for use in determining the appeal.

In this subsection "eligible person" means a person who is eligible to be appointed as the sole member of an appeal tribunal, or to be nominated as the chairman of such a tribunal.

(3) At a hearing before an appeal tribunal, except in prescribed cases or circumstances, the tribunal–

(a) may not carry out a physical examination of the person mentioned in subsection (2) above; and

(b) may not require that person to undergo any physical test for the purpose of determining whether he satisfies the condition mentioned in section 73(1)(a) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Suspension and termination of benefit

21 Suspension in prescribed circumstances

(1) Regulations may provide for–

(a) suspending payments of a relevant benefit, in whole or in part, in prescribed circumstances;

(b) the subsequent making in prescribed circumstances of any or all of the payments so suspended.

(2) Regulations made under subsection (1) above may, in particular, make provision for any case where–

(a) it appears to the Secretary of State that an issue arises whether the conditions for entitlement to a relevant benefit are or were fulfilled;

(b) it appears to the Secretary of State that an issue arises whether a decision as to an award of a relevant benefit should be revised (under section 9 above) or superseded (under section 10 above);

(c) an appeal is pending against a decision of an appeal tribunal, a Commissioner or a court; or

(d) an appeal is pending against the decision given in a different case by a Commissioner or a court, and it appears to the Secretary of State that if the appeal were to be determined in a particular way an issue would arise whether the award of a relevant benefit (whether the same benefit or not) in the case itself ought to be revised or superseded.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, an appeal against a decision is pending if–

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(4) Any reference in this section or section 24 or 25 below to a relevant benefit includes a reference to statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay.

22 Suspension for failure to furnish information etc

(1) The powers conferred by this section are exercisable in relation to persons who fail to comply with information requirements.

(2) Regulations may provide for–

(a) suspending payments of a relevant benefit, in whole or in part;

(b) the subsequent making in prescribed circumstances of any or all of the payments so suspended.

(3) In this section and section 23 below "information requirement" means a requirement, made in pursuance of regulations under subsection (1)(hh) of section 5 of the Administration Act, to furnish information or evidence needed for a determination whether a decision on an award of benefit to which that section applies should be revised under section 9 or superseded under section 10 above.

23 Termination in cases of failure to furnish information

Regulations may provide that, except in prescribed cases or circumstances, a person–

(a) whose benefit has been suspended in accordance with regulations under section 21 above and who subsequently fails to comply with an information requirement; or

(b) whose benefit has been suspended in accordance with regulations under section 22 above for failing to comply with such a requirement,

shall cease to be entitled to the benefit from a date not earlier than the date on which payments were suspended.

24 Suspension and termination for failure to submit to medical examination

Regulations may make provision–

(a) enabling the Secretary of State to require a person to whom a relevant benefit has been awarded to submit to medical examination;

(b) for suspending payments of benefit, in whole or in part, in a case of a person who fails to submit himself to a medical examination to which he is required to submit in accordance with regulations under paragraph (a) above;

(c) for the subsequent making in prescribed circumstances of any or all of the payments so suspended;

(d) for entitlement to the benefit to cease, except in prescribed cases or circumstances, from a date not earlier than the date on which payments were suspended.

Decisions and appeals dependent on other cases

25 Decisions involving issues that arise on appeal in other cases

(1) This section applies where–

(a) a decision by the Secretary of State falls to be made under section 8, 9 or 10 above in relation to a particular case; and

(b) an appeal is pending against the decision given in another case by a Commissioner or a court (whether or not the two cases concern the same benefit).

(2) In a case relating to a relevant benefit, the Secretary of State need not make the decision while the appeal is pending if he considers it possible that the result of the appeal will be such that, if it were already determined, there would be no entitlement to benefit.

(3) If the Secretary of State considers it possible that the result of the appeal will be such that, if it were already determined, it would affect the decision in some other way–

(a) he need not, except in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, make the decision while the appeal is pending;

(b) he may, in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, make the decision on such basis as may be prescribed.

(4) Where the Secretary of State acts in accordance with subsection (3)(b) above, following the determination of the appeal he shall if appropriate revise his decision (under section 9 above) in accordance with that determination.

(5) For the purposes of this section, an appeal against a decision is pending if–

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(6) In paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (5) above, any reference to an appeal, or an application for leave to appeal, against a decision includes a reference to–

(a) an application for, or for leave to apply for, judicial review of the decision under section 31 of the [1981 c. 54.] Supreme Court Act 1981; or

(b) an application to the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Session in respect of the decision.

26 Appeals involving issues that arise on appeal in other cases

(1) This section applies where–

(a) an appeal ("appeal A") in relation to a decision under section 8, 9 or 10 above is made to an appeal tribunal, or from an appeal tribunal to a Commissioner; and

(b) an appeal ("appeal B") is pending against a decision given in a different case by a Commissioner or a court (whether or not the two appeals concern the same benefit).

(2) If the Secretary of State considers it possible that the result of appeal B will be such that, if it were already determined, it would affect the determination of appeal A, he may serve notice requiring the tribunal or Commissioner–

(a) not to determine appeal A but to refer it to him; or

(b) to deal with the appeal in accordance with subsection (4) below.

(3) Where appeal A is referred to the Secretary of State under subsection (2)(a) above, following the determination of appeal B and in accordance with that determination, he shall if appropriate–

(a) in a case where appeal A has not been determined by the tribunal, revise (under section 9 above) his decision which gave rise to that appeal; or

(b) in a case where appeal A has been determined by the tribunal, make a decision (under section 10 above) superseding the tribunal´s decision.

(4) Where appeal A is to be dealt with in accordance with this subsection, the appeal tribunal or Commissioner shall either–

(a) stay appeal A until appeal B is determined; or

(b) if the tribunal or Commissioner considers it to be in the interests of the appellant to do so, determine appeal A as if–

(i) appeal B had already been determined; and

(ii) the issues arising on appeal B had been decided in the way that was most unfavourable to the appellant.

In this subsection "the appellant" means the person who appealed or, as the case may be, first appealed against the decision mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above.

(5) Where the appeal tribunal or Commissioner acts in accordance with subsection (4)(b) above, following the determination of appeal B the Secretary of State shall, if appropriate, make a decision (under section 10 above) superseding the decision of the tribunal or Commissioner in accordance with that determination.

(6) For the purposes of this section, an appeal against a decision is pending if–

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(7) In this section–

(a) the reference in subsection (1)(a) above to an appeal to a Commissioner includes a reference to an application for leave to appeal to a Commissioner; and

(b) any reference in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (6) above to an appeal, or to an application for leave to appeal, against a decision includes a reference to–

(i) an application for, or for leave to apply for, judicial review of the decision under section 31 of the [1981 c. 54.] Supreme Court Act 1981; or

(ii) an application to the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Session in respect of the decision.

(8) Regulations may make provision supplementing that made by this section.

Cases of error

27 Restrictions on entitlement to benefit in certain cases of error

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, this section applies where–

(a) the effect of the determination, whenever made, of an appeal to a Commissioner or the court ("the relevant determination") is that the adjudicating authority´s decision out of which the appeal arose was erroneous in point of law; and

(b) after the date of the relevant determination a decision falls to be made by the Secretary of State in accordance with that determination (or would, apart from this section, fall to be so made)–

(i) in relation to a claim for benefit;

(ii) as to whether to revise, under section 9 above, a decision as to a person´s entitlement to benefit; or

(iii) on an application made under section 10 above for a decision as to a person´s entitlement to benefit to be superseded.

(2) This section does not apply where the decision of the Secretary of State mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above–

(a) is one which, but for section 25(2) or (3)(a) above, would have been made before the date of the relevant determination; or

(b) is one made in pursuance of section 26(3) or (5) above.

(3) In so far as the decision relates to a person´s entitlement to a benefit in respect of–

(a) a period before the date of the relevant determination; or

(b) in the case of a widow´s payment, a death occurring before that date,

it shall be made as if the adjudicating authority´s decision had been found by the Commissioner or court not to have been erroneous in point of law.

(4) In deciding whether a person is entitled to benefit in a case where his entitlement depends on his having been entitled to the same or some other benefit before attaining a particular age, subsection (3) above shall be disregarded for the purpose only of deciding whether he was so entitled before attaining that age.

(5) Subsection (1)(a) above shall be read as including a case where–

(a) the effect of the relevant determination is that part or all of a purported regulation or order is invalid; and

(b) the error of law made by the adjudicating authority was to act on the basis that the purported regulation or order (or the part held to be invalid) was valid.

(6) It is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (1) above–

(a) where such a decision as is mentioned in paragraph (b)(i) falls to be made, whether the claim was made before or after the date of the relevant determination;

(b) where such a decision as is mentioned in paragraph (b)(ii) or (iii) falls to be made on an application under section 9 or (as the case may be) 10 above, whether the application was made before or after that date.

(7) In this section–

• "adjudicating authority" means–

  (a)

  the Secretary of State;

  (b)

  any former officer, tribunal or body; or

  (c)

  any officer, tribunal or body in Northern Ireland corresponding to a former officer, tribunal or body;

• "benefit" means–

  (a)

  benefit under Parts II to V of the Contributions and Benefits Act, other than Old Cases payments;

  (b)

  benefit under Part II of the [1975 c. 14.] Social Security Act 1975 (in respect of a period before 1st July 1992 but not before 6th April 1975);

  (c)

  benefit under the [1946 c. 67.] National Insurance Act 1946 or [1965 c. 51.] 1965, or the [1946 c. 62.] National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946 or [1965 c. 52.] 1965 (in respect of a period before 6th April 1975);

  (d)

  a jobseeker´s allowance;

  (e)

  any benefit corresponding to a benefit mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d) above; and

  (f)

  any income-related benefit;

• "the court" means the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Court of Session, the High Court or Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland, the House of Lords or the Court of Justice of the European Community;

• "former officer, tribunal or body" means any of the following, that is to say–

  (a)

  an adjudication officer or, in the case of a decision given on a reference under section 21(2) or 25(1) of the Administration Act, a social security appeal tribunal, a disability appeal tribunal or a medical appeal tribunal;

  (b)

  an adjudicating medical practitioner appointed under section 49 of that Act or a specially qualified adjudicating medical practitioner appointed in accordance with regulations under section 62(2) of that Act; or

  (c)

  the National Assistance Board, the Supplementary Benefits Commission, the Attendance Allowance Board, a benefit officer, an insurance officer or a supplement officer.

(8) For the purposes of this section, any reference to entitlement to benefit includes a reference to entitlement–

(a) to any increase in the rate of a benefit; or

(b) to a benefit, or increase of benefit, at a particular rate.

(9) The date of the relevant determination shall, in prescribed cases, be determined for the purposes of this section in accordance with any regulations made for that purpose.

(10) Regulations made under subsection (9) above may include provision–

(a) for a determination of a higher court to be treated as if it had been made on the date of a determination of a lower court or a Commissioner; or

(b) for a determination of a lower court or a Commissioner to be treated as if it had been made on the date of a determination of a higher court.

28 Correction of errors and setting aside of decisions

(1) Regulations may make provision with respect to–

(a) the correction of accidental errors in any decision or record of a decision made under any relevant enactment; and

(b) the setting aside of any such decision in a case where it appears just to set the decision aside on the ground that–

(i) a document relating to the proceedings in which the decision was given was not sent to, or was not received at an appropriate time by, a party to the proceedings or a party´s representative or was not received at an appropriate time by the body or person who gave the decision; or

(ii) a party to the proceedings or a party´s representative was not present at a hearing related to the proceedings.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) above shall be construed as derogating from any power to correct errors or set aside decisions which is exercisable apart from regulations made by virtue of that subsection.

(3) In this section "relevant enactment" means any enactment contained in–

(a) this Chapter;

(b) the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(c) the [1993 c. 48.] Pension Schemes Act 1993;

(d) the Jobseekers Act; or

(e) the [1997 c. 27.] Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997.

Industrial accidents

29 Decision that accident is an industrial accident

(1) Where, in connection with any claim for industrial injuries benefit, it is decided that the relevant accident was or was not an industrial accident–

(a) an express declaration of that fact shall be made and recorded; and

(b) subject to subsection (3) below, a claimant shall be entitled to have the issue whether the relevant accident was an industrial accident decided notwithstanding that his claim is disallowed on other grounds.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) and section 30 below, any person suffering personal injury by accident shall be entitled, if he claims the accident was an industrial accident–

(a) to have that issue decided; and

(b) to have a declaration made and recorded accordingly,

notwithstanding that no claim for benefit has been made in connection with which the issue arises; and this Chapter shall apply for that purpose as if the issue had arisen in connection with a claim for benefit.

(3) The Secretary of State, an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner (as the case may be) may refuse to decide the issue whether an accident was an industrial accident if satisfied that it is unlikely to be necessary to decide the issue for the purposes of any claim for benefit; and this Chapter shall apply as if any such refusal were a decision on the issue.

(4) Subject to sections 9 to 15 above, any declaration under this section that an accident was or was not an industrial accident shall be conclusive for the purposes of any claim for industrial injuries benefit in respect of that accident.

(5) Where subsection (4) above applies–

(a) in relation to a death occurring before 11th April 1988; or

(b) for the purposes of section 60(2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act,

it shall have effect as if at the end there were added the words "whether or not the claimant is the person at whose instance the declaration was made".

(6) For the purposes of this section (but subject to section 30 below), an accident whereby a person suffers personal injury shall be deemed, in relation to him, to be an industrial accident if–

(a) it arises out of and in the course of his employment;

(b) that employment is employed earner´s employment for the purposes of Part V of the Contributions and Benefits Act; and

(c) payment of benefit is not under section 94(5) of that Act precluded because the accident happened while he was outside Great Britain.

(7) A decision under this section shall be final except that sections 9 and 10 above apply to a decision under this section that an accident was or was not an industrial accident as they apply to a decision under section 8 above if, but only if, the Secretary of State is satisfied that the decision under this section was given in consequence of any wilful non-disclosure or misrepresentation of a material fact.

30 Effect of decision

(1) A decision (given under subsection (2) of section 29 above or otherwise) that an accident was an industrial accident is to be taken as determining only that paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (6) of that section are satisfied in relation to the accident.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) below, no such decision is to be taken as importing a decision as to the origin of any injury or disability suffered by the claimant, whether or not there is an event identifiable as an accident apart from any injury that may have been received.

(3) A decision that, on a particular occasion when there was no event so identifiable, a person had an industrial accident by reason of an injury shall be treated as a decision that, if the injury was suffered by accident on that occasion, the accident was an industrial accident.

(4) A decision that an accident was an industrial accident may be given, and a declaration to that effect be made and recorded in accordance with section 29 above, without its having been found that personal injury resulted from the accident.

(5) Subsection (4) above has effect subject to the discretion under section 29(3) above to refuse to decide the issue if it is unlikely to be necessary for the purposes of a claim for benefit.

Other special cases

31 Incapacity for work

(1) Regulations may provide that a determination that a person is disqualified for any period in accordance with regulations under section 171E of the Contributions and Benefits Act shall have effect for such purposes as may be prescribed as a determination that he is to be treated as capable of work for that period, and vice versa.

(2) Provision may be made by regulations for matters of such descriptions as may be prescribed to be determined by the Secretary of State, notwithstanding that other matters fall to be determined by another authority.

(3) Nothing in this section shall be taken to prejudice the generality of the power conferred by section 17(2) above.

32 Industrial diseases

Regulations shall provide for applying the provisions of this Chapter, subject to any prescribed additions or modifications, in relation to decisions made or falling to be made under sections 108 to 110 of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

33 Christmas bonus

(1) A decision by the Secretary of State that a person is entitled or not entitled to payment of a qualifying benefit in respect of a period which includes a day in the relevant week shall be conclusive for the purposes of section 148 of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

(2) In this section, expressions to which a meaning is assigned by section 150 of that Act have that meaning.

Housing benefit and council tax benefit

34 Determination of claims and reviews

(1) Regulations shall provide that, where a person claims–

(a) housing benefit; or

(b) council tax benefit,

the authority to whom the claim is made shall notify the person of its determination of the claim.

(2) Any such notification shall be given in such form as may be prescribed.

(3) Regulations may make provision requiring authorities to whom claims for housing benefit or council tax benefit are made by, or in respect of, persons who have been entitled to a jobseeker´s allowance or to income support to give priority, in prescribed circumstances, to those claims over other claims for any such benefit.

(4) Regulations shall make provision for reviews of determinations relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit.

(5) Regulations may make provision as respects matters arising out of the revision on review of such determinations.

35 Suspension of benefit in prescribed circumstances

(1) Regulations may provide for–

(a) suspending in prescribed circumstances, in whole or in part–

(i) payments of housing benefit or council tax benefit; or

(ii) any right (exercisable by way of council tax benefit) to make a reduction in the amount that a person is or becomes liable to pay in respect of council tax;

(b) the subsequent making, or restoring, in prescribed circumstances of any or all of the payments, or any right, so suspended.

(2) Regulations made under subsection (1) above may, in particular, make provision for any case where, in relation to a claim for housing benefit or council tax benefit–

(a) it appears to the authority that an issue arises whether the conditions for entitlement to the benefit are or were fulfilled;

(b) it appears to the authority that an issue arises whether the determination of the claim should be reviewed in accordance with regulations made under section 34(4) above;

(c) an appeal is pending to a court in relation to the determination of the claim; or

(d) an appeal is pending to a court in relation to the determination (whether made by the authority or by any other authority) of a different claim for housing benefit or council tax benefit, and it appears to the authority that if the appeal were to be determined in a particular way an issue would arise whether the determination of the claim ought to be reviewed.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, an appeal is pending to a court in England and Wales in relation to a determination if–

(a) an application, or a renewed application, for leave to apply for judicial review of the determination has been made but not determined;

(b) such leave has been granted but the application for judicial review has not been determined;

(c) an appeal has been brought (or an application has been made for leave to appeal) against an order made on a judicial review of the determination, and the appeal (or application) has not been determined; or

(d) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, the time for making an application or appeal such as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (c) above has not yet expired.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, an appeal is pending to a court in Scotland in relation to a determination if–

(a) an application to the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Session has been made in respect of the determination and the application has not been determined;

(b) an appeal has been brought against an order made on such an application and the appeal has not been determined;

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an application such as is mentioned in paragraph (a) above has not been made in respect of the determination and a period prescribed for the purposes of this section for making such an application has not expired; or

(d) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, the time for making an appeal such as is mentioned in paragraph (b) above has not yet expired.

Social fund payments

36 Appropriate officers

(1) In this section and section 38 below, "appropriate officer" means an officer of the Secretary of State who, acting under his authority, is exercising functions of the Secretary of State in relation to such payments out of the social fund as are mentioned in section 138(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

(2) The Secretary of State may nominate for an area an appropriate officer who shall issue general guidance to other such officers in the area about such matters relating to the social fund as the Secretary of State may specify.

(3) In relation to any decision of an appropriate officer, section 38 below shall apply in substitution for sections 9 and 10 above.

37 The social fund Commissioner and inspectors

(1) There shall continue to be an officer known as "the social fund Commissioner".

(2) The social fund Commissioner shall be appointed by the Secretary of State.

(3) The social fund Commissioner–

(a) shall appoint such social fund inspectors; and

(b) may appoint such officers and staff for himself and for social fund inspectors,

as he thinks fit, but with the consent of the Secretary of State as to numbers.

(4) Appointments under subsection (3) above shall be made from persons made available to the social fund Commissioner by the Secretary of State.

(5) It shall be the duty of the social fund Commissioner–

(a) to monitor the quality of decisions of social fund inspectors and give them such advice and assistance as he thinks fit to improve the standard of their decisions;

(b) to arrange such training of social fund inspectors as he considers appropriate; and

(c) to carry out such other functions in connection with the work of social fund inspectors as the Secretary of State may direct.

(6) The social fund Commissioner shall report annually in writing to the Secretary of State on the standards of reviews by social fund inspectors, and the Secretary of State shall publish his report.

38 Reviews of determinations

(1) An appropriate officer–

(a) shall review a social fund determination, if an application for a review is made, within such time and in such form and manner as may be prescribed, by or on behalf of the person who applied for the payment to which the determination relates;

(b) may review such a determination on the ground that the person who applied for the payment to which the determination relates misrepresented, or failed to disclose, any material fact; and

(c) may review such a determination in such other circumstances as he thinks fit.

(2) The power to review a social fund determination conferred by subsection (1) above includes power to review a determination made on a previous review.

(3) A social fund determination which has been reviewed under subsection (1) above shall be further reviewed by a social fund inspector if an application is made, within such time and in such form and manner as may be prescribed, by or on behalf of the person who applied for the payment to which the determination relates.

(4) On a review under subsection (3) above a social fund inspector shall have the following powers–

(a) power to confirm the determination made by the appropriate officer;

(b) power to make any determination which an appropriate officer could have made;

(c) power to refer the matter to such an officer for determination.

(5) A social fund inspector may review a determination under subsection (3) above made by himself or some other social fund inspector.

(6) In making a determination on a review an appropriate officer or a social fund inspector need not consider–

(a) in the case of a determination on a review under subsection (1)(a) above, any issue that is not raised by the application;

(b) in the case of a determination on a review under subsection (1)(b) above, any issue that is not raised by the material fact;

(c) in the case of a determination on a review under subsection (1)(c) above, any issue that did not cause him to carry out the review.

(7) In making a determination on a review under subsection (1)(a) or (c) above an appropriate officer or a social fund inspector shall–

(a) subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) below, have regard to whichever of the following are applicable, namely–

(i) all the circumstances of the case and, in particular, the criteria specified in paragraphs (a) to (e) of subsection (1) of section 140 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(ii) the criteria mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1A) of that section; and

(iii) the criterion specified in directions issued by the Secretary of State under that subsection and the criteria mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection;

(b) act in accordance with any general directions issued by the Secretary of State under subsection (2) of that section, and any general directions issued by him with regard to reviews; and

(c) take account of any general guidance issued by the Secretary of State under that subsection or with regard to reviews.

(8) In making a determination on a review under subsection (1)(b) above an appropriate officer or a social fund inspector shall–

(a) act in accordance with any general directions issued by the Secretary of State; and

(b) take account of any general guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

(9) Any reference in subsection (6), (7) or (8) above to a determination on a review under a particular provision of subsection (1) above shall be construed, in relation to a social fund inspector, as a reference to a determination on a further review of a determination which has been reviewed under that provision.

(10) Directions under this section may specify–

(a) the circumstances in which a social fund determination is to be reviewed; and

(b) the manner in which a review is to be conducted.

(11) In making a determination on a review under subsection (1)(a) or (c) above an appropriate officer shall take account (subject to any directions or guidance issued by the Secretary of State under this section) of any guidance issued by the appropriate officer nominated for his area under section 36(2) above.

(12) A social fund inspector reviewing a social fund determination which has been reviewed under subsection (1)(a) or (c) above shall be under the same duties in relation to such guidance as the appropriate officer or social fund inspector who made the determination.

(13) In this section "social fund determination" means a determination made under the Contributions and Benefits Act by an appropriate officer.

Supplemental

39 Interpretation etc. of Chapter II

(1) In this Chapter–

• "appeal tribunal" means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of this Part;

• "Commissioner" means the Chief Social Security Commissioner or any other Social Security Commissioner, and includes a tribunal of three or more Commissioners constituted under section 16(7) above;

• "relevant benefit" has the meaning given by section 8(3) above.

(2) Expressions used in this Chapter to which a meaning is assigned by section 191 of the Administration Act have that meaning in this Chapter.

(3) Part II of the Administration Act, which is superseded by the foregoing provisions of this Chapter, shall cease to have effect.

Chapter III Other Decisions and Appeals

Child support

40 Child support: revision of decisions

For section 16 of the Child Support Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"16 Revision of decisions

(1) Any decision of the Secretary of State under section 11, 12 or 17 may be revised by the Secretary of State–

(a) either within the prescribed period or in prescribed cases or circumstances; and

(b) either on an application made for the purpose or on his own initiative;

and regulations may prescribe the procedure by which a decision of the Secretary of State may be so revised.

(2) In making a decision under subsection (1), the Secretary of State need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause him to act on his own initiative.

(3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) and section 28ZC, a revision under this section shall take effect as from the date on which the original decision took (or was to take) effect.

(4) Regulations may provide that, in prescribed cases or circumstances, a revision under this section shall take effect as from such other date as may be prescribed.

(5) Where a decision is revised under this section, for the purpose of any rule as to the time allowed for bringing an appeal, the decision shall be regarded as made on the date on which it is so revised.

(6) Except in prescribed circumstances, an appeal against a decision of the Secretary of State shall lapse if the decision is revised under this section before the appeal is determined."

41 Child support: decisions superseding earlier decisions

For sections 17 to 19 of the Child Support Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"17 Decisions superseding earlier decisions

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the following, namely–

(a) any decision of the Secretary of State under section 11 or 12 or this section, whether as originally made or as revised under section 16;

(b) any decision of an appeal tribunal under section 20; and

(c) any decision of a Child Support Commissioner on an appeal from such a decision as is mentioned in paragraph (b),

may be superseded by a decision made by the Secretary of State, either on an application made for the purpose or on his own initiative.

(2) In making a decision under subsection (1), the Secretary of State need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause him to act on his own initiative.

(3) Regulations may prescribe the cases and circumstances in which, and the procedure by which, a decision may be made under this section.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) and section 28ZC, a decision under this section shall take effect as from the date on which it is made or, where applicable, the date on which the application was made.

(5) Regulations may provide that, in prescribed cases or circumstances, a decision under this section shall take effect as from such other date as may be prescribed."

42 Child support: appeals to appeal tribunals

For sections 20 to 21 of the Child Support Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"20 Appeals to appeal tribunals

(1) Where an application for a maintenance assessment is refused, the person who made that application shall have a right of appeal to an appeal tribunal against the refusal.

(2) Where a maintenance assessment is in force–

(a) the absent parent or person with care with respect to whom it was made; or

(b) where the application for the assessment was made under section 7, either of them or the child concerned,

shall have a right of appeal to an appeal tribunal against the amount of the assessment or the date from which the assessment takes effect.

(3) Where a maintenance assessment is cancelled, or an application for the cancellation of a maintenance assessment is refused–

(a) the absent parent or person with care with respect to whom the maintenance assessment in question was, or remains, in force; or

(b) where the application for that assessment was made under section 7, either of them or the child concerned,

shall have a right of appeal to an appeal tribunal against the cancellation or refusal.

(4) A person with a right of appeal under this section shall be given such notice of that right and, in the case of a right conferred by subsection (1) or (3), such notice of the decision as may be prescribed.

(5) Regulations may make–

(a) provision as to the manner in which, and the time within which, appeals are to be brought; and

(b) such provision with respect to proceedings before appeal tribunals as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(6) The regulations may in particular make any provision of a kind mentioned in Schedule 5 to the Social Security Act 1998.

(7) In deciding an appeal under this section, an appeal tribunal–

(a) need not consider any issue that is not raised by the appeal; and

(b) shall not take into account any circumstances not obtaining at the time when the decision or assessment appealed against was made."

43 Child support: decisions and appeals dependent on other cases

After section 28 of the Child Support Act there shall be inserted the following sections–

"Decisions and appeals dependent on other cases

28ZA Decisions involving issues that arise on appeal in other cases

(1) This section applies where–

(a) a decision by the Secretary of State falls to be made under section 11, 12, 16 or 17 in relation to a maintenance assessment; and

(b) an appeal is pending against a decision given in relation to a different maintenance assessment by a Child Support Commissioner or a court.

(2) If the Secretary of State considers it possible that the result of the appeal will be such that, if it were already determined, it would affect the decision in some way–

(a) he need not, except in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, make the decision while the appeal is pending;

(b) he may, in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, make the decision on such basis as may be prescribed.

(3) Where the Secretary of State acts in accordance with subsection (2)(b), following the determination of the appeal he shall if appropriate revise his decision (under section 16) in accordance with that determination.

(4) For the purposes of this section, an appeal against a decision is pending if–

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(5) In paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (4), any reference to an appeal, or an application for leave to appeal, against a decision includes a reference to–

(a) an application for, or for leave to apply for, judicial review of the decision under section 31 of the [1981 c. 54.] Supreme Court Act 1981; or

(b) an application to the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Session in respect of the decision.

28ZB Appeals involving issues that arise on appeal in other cases

(1) This section applies where–

(a) an appeal ("appeal A") in relation to a decision falling within section 20(1) or (3), or an assessment falling within section 20(2), is made to an appeal tribunal, or from an appeal tribunal to a Child Support Commissioner; and

(b) an appeal ("appeal B") is pending against a decision given in a different case by a Child Support Commissioner or a court.

(2) If the Secretary of State considers it possible that the result of appeal B will be such that, if it were already determined, it would affect the determination of appeal A, he may serve notice requiring the tribunal or Child Support Commissioner–

(a) not to determine appeal A but to refer it to him; or

(b) to deal with the appeal in accordance with subsection (4).

(3) Where appeal A is referred to the Secretary of State under subsection (2)(a), following the determination of appeal B and in accordance with that determination, he shall if appropriate–

(a) in a case where appeal A has not been determined by the tribunal, revise (under section 16) his decision which gave rise to that appeal; or

(b) in a case where appeal A has been determined by the tribunal, make a decision (under section 17) superseding the tribunal´s decision.

(4) Where appeal A is to be dealt with in accordance with this subsection, the appeal tribunal or Child Support Commissioner shall either–

(a) stay appeal A until appeal B is determined; or

(b) if the tribunal or Child Support Commissioner considers it to be in the interests of the appellant to do so, determine appeal A as if–

(i) appeal B had already been determined; and

(ii) the issues arising on appeal B had been decided in the way that was most unfavourable to the appellant.

In this subsection "the appellant" means the person who appealed or, as the case may be, first appealed against the decision or assessment mentioned in subsection (1)(a).

(5) Where the appeal tribunal or Child Support Commissioner acts in accordance with subsection (4)(b), following the determination of appeal B the Secretary of State shall, if appropriate, make a decision (under section 17) superseding the decision of the tribunal or Child Support Commissioner in accordance with that determination.

(6) For the purposes of this section, an appeal against a decision is pending if–

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(7) In this section–

(a) the reference in subsection (1)(a) to an appeal to a Child Support Commissioner includes a reference to an application for leave to appeal to a Child Support Commissioner; and

(b) any reference in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (6) to an appeal, or to an application for leave to appeal, against a decision includes a reference to–

(i) an application for, or for leave to apply for, judicial review of the decision under section 31 of the [1981 c. 54.] Supreme Court Act 1981; or

(ii) an application to the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Session in respect of the decision.

(8) Regulations may make provision supplementing that made by this section."

44 Child support: cases of error

After section 28ZB of the Child Support Act there shall be inserted the following sections–

"Cases of error

28ZC Restrictions on liability in certain cases of error

(1) Subject to subsection (2), this section applies where–

(a) the effect of the determination, whenever made, of an appeal to a Child Support Commissioner or the court ("the relevant determination") is that the adjudicating authority´s decision out of which the appeal arose was erroneous in point of law; and

(b) after the date of the relevant determination a decision falls to be made by the Secretary of State in accordance with that determination (or would, apart from this section, fall to be so made)–

(i) with respect to an application for a maintenance assessment (made after the commencement date);

(ii) as to whether to revise, under section 16, a decision (made after the commencement date) with respect to such an assessment; or

(iii) on an application under section 17 (made after the commencement date) for a decision with respect to such an assessment to be superseded.

(2) This section does not apply where the decision of the Secretary of State mentioned in subsection (1)(b)–

(a) is one which, but for section 28ZA(2)(a), would have been made before the date of the relevant determination; or

(b) is one made in pursuance of section 28ZB(3) or (5).

(3) In so far as the decision relates to a person´s liability in respect of a period before the date of the relevant determination, it shall be made as if the adjudicating authority´s decision had been found by the Commissioner or court not to have been erroneous in point of law.

(4) Subsection (1)(a) shall be read as including a case where–

(a) the effect of the relevant determination is that part or all of a purported regulation or order is invalid; and

(b) the error of law made by the adjudicating authority was to act on the basis that the purported regulation or order (or the part held to be invalid) was valid.

(5) It is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (1)–

(a) where such a decision as is mentioned in paragraph (b)(i) falls to be made; or

(b) where such a decision as is mentioned in paragraph (b)(ii) or (iii) falls to be made on an application under section 16 or (as the case may be) section 17,

whether the application was made before or after the date of the relevant determination.

(6) In this section–

• "adjudicating authority" means the Secretary of State, or a child support officer;

• "the commencement date" means the date of the coming into force of section 44 of the Social Security Act 1998; and

• "the court" means the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Court of Session, the High Court or Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland, the House of Lords or the Court of Justice of the European Community.

(7) The date of the relevant determination shall, in prescribed cases, be determined for the purposes of this section in accordance with any regulations made for that purpose.

(8) Regulations made under subsection (7) may include provision–

(a) for a determination of a higher court to be treated as if it had been made on the date of a determination of a lower court or a Child Support Commissioner; or

(b) for a determination of a lower court or a Child Support Commissioner to be treated as if it had been made on the date of a determination of a higher court.

28ZD Correction of errors and setting aside of decisions

(1) Regulations may make provision with respect to–

(a) the correction of accidental errors in any decision or record of a decision given under this Act; and

(b) the setting aside of any such decision in a case where it appears just to set the decision aside on the ground that–

(i) a document relating to the proceedings in which the decision was given was not sent to, or was not received at an appropriate time by, a party to the proceedings or a party´s representative or was not received at an appropriate time by the body or person who gave the decision; or

(ii) a party to the proceedings or a party´s representative was not present at a hearing related to the proceedings.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) shall be construed as derogating from any power to correct errors or set aside decisions which is exercisable apart from regulations made by virtue of that subsection."

Vaccine damage payments

45 Vaccine damage payments: decisions reversing earlier decisions

After section 3 of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"3A Decisions reversing earlier decisions

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, any decision of the Secretary of State under section 3 above or this section, and any decision of an appeal tribunal under section 4 below, may be reversed by a decision made by the Secretary of State–

(a) either within the prescribed period or in prescribed cases or circumstances; and

(b) either on an application made for the purpose or on his own initiative.

(2) In making a decision under subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State need not consider any issue that is not raised by the application or, as the case may be, did not cause him to act on his own initiative.

(3) Regulations may prescribe the procedure by which a decision may be made under this section.

(4) Such notice as may be prescribed by regulations shall be given of a decision under this section.

(5) Except as provided by section 5(4) below, no payment under section 1(1) above shall be recoverable by virtue of a decision under this section.

(6) In this section and sections 4 and 8 below "appeal tribunal" means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998."

46 Vaccine damage payments: appeals to appeal tribunals

For section 4 of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"4 Appeals to appeal tribunals

(1) The claimant may appeal to an appeal tribunal against any decision of the Secretary of State under section 3 or 3A above.

(2) Regulations may make–

(a) provision as to the manner in which, and the time within which, appeals are to be brought; and

(b) such provision with respect to proceedings before appeal tribunals as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(3) The regulations may in particular make any provision of a kind mentioned in Schedule 5 to the Social Security Act 1998.

(4) In deciding an appeal under this section, an appeal tribunal shall consider all the circumstances of the case (including any not obtaining at the time when the decision appealed against was made)."

47 Vaccine damage payments: correction of errors etc

After section 7 of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"7A Correction of errors and setting aside of decisions

(1) Regulations may make provision with respect to–

(a) the correction of accidental errors in any decision or record of a decision under section 3, 3A or 4 of this Act; and

(b) the setting aside of any such decision in a case where it appears just to set the decision aside on the ground that–

(i) a document relating to the proceedings in which the decision was given was not sent to, or was not received at an appropriate time by, a party to the proceedings or a party´s representative or was not received at an appropriate time by the body or person who gave the decision; or

(ii) a party to the proceedings or a party´s representative was not present at a hearing related to the proceedings.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) shall be construed as derogating from any power to correct errors or set aside decisions which is exercisable apart from regulations made by virtue of that subsection."

Part II Contributions

Amendments of Contributions and Benefits Act

48 Apportionment of payments etc. made for more than one earner

After subsection (2) of section 3 of the Contributions and Benefits Act ("earnings" and "earner") there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(2A) Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2) above may provide that, where a payment is made or a benefit provided to or for the benefit of two or more earners, a proportion (determined in such manner as may be prescribed) of the amount or value of the payment or benefit shall be attributed to each earner."

49 Payments on account of directors' contributions

After subsection (3) of section 3 of the Contributions and Benefits Act there shall be inserted the following subsections–

"(4) Subsection (5) below applies to regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2) above which make special provision with respect to the earnings periods of directors and former directors of companies.

(5) Regulations to which this subsection applies may make provision–

(a) for enabling companies, and directors and former directors of companies, to pay on account of any earnings-related contributions that may become payable by them such amounts as would be payable by way of such contributions if the special provision had not been made; and

(b) for requiring any payments made in accordance with the regulations to be treated, for prescribed purposes, as if they were the contributions on account of which they were made."

50 Payments treated as remuneration and earnings

(1) For subsection (4) of section 4 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (payments treated as remuneration and earnings) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(4) For the purposes of section 3 above there shall be treated as remuneration derived from an employed earner´s employment–

(a) any gain on which the earner is chargeable to tax by virtue of section 135 (gains by directors and employees from share options) of the [1988 c. 1.] Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 ("the 1988 Act");

(b) any sum paid (or treated as paid) to or for the benefit of the earner which is chargeable to tax by virtue of section 313 of the 1988 Act (taxation of consideration for certain restrictive undertakings)."

(2) After subsection (5) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(6) For the purposes of section 3 above regulations may make provision for treating as remuneration derived from an earner´s employment any amount on which the earner is, by virtue of any provision of sections 140A to 140H of the 1988 Act, chargeable to income tax under Schedule E in respect of an acquisition of shares or an interest in shares."

(3) Subsection (1) above, so far as relating to a sum which is chargeable to tax by virtue of section 313 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, shall have effect in relation to any undertaking given on or after 10th July 1997.

(4) Regulations under subsection (6) of section 4 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (as inserted by subsection (2) above)–

(a) shall not be made before the passing of the Finance Act 1998; but

(b) may make provision having effect in relation to acquisitions on or after 6th April 1998.

51 Class 1 contributions

(1) For subsection (1) of section 5 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (earnings limits for Class 1 contributions) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) For the purposes of this Act there shall for every tax year be–

(a) a lower earnings limit (for primary Class 1 contributions);

(b) an upper earnings limit (for primary Class 1 contributions); and

(c) an earnings threshold (for secondary Class 1 contributions);

and those limits and that threshold shall be the amounts specified for that year by regulations which, in the case of those limits, shall be made in accordance with subsections (2) and (3) below."

(2) For subsection (1) of section 6 of that Act (liability for Class 1 contributions) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) Where in any tax week earnings are paid to or for the benefit of an earner over the age of 16 in respect of any one employment of his which is employed earner´s employment–

(a) a primary Class 1 contribution shall be payable in accordance with this section and section 8 below if the amount paid exceeds the current lower earnings limit (or the prescribed equivalent in the case of earners paid otherwise than weekly); and

(b) a secondary Class 1 contribution shall be payable in accordance with this section and section 9 below if the amount paid exceeds the current earnings threshold (or the prescribed equivalent in the case of earners paid otherwise than weekly)."

(3) For subsections (1) and (2) of section 8 of that Act (calculation of primary Class 1 contributions) there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(1) Where a primary Class 1 contribution is payable, the amount of that contribution shall be the primary percentage of so much of the earner´s earnings paid in the tax week, in respect of the employment in question, as–

(a) exceeds the current lower earnings limit (or the prescribed equivalent); and

(b) does not exceed the current upper earnings limit (or the prescribed equivalent);

but this subsection is subject to regulations under section 6(5) above and sections 116 to 120 below and to section 41 of the Pensions Act (reduced rates of Class 1 contributions for earners in contracted-out employment).

(2) For the purposes of this Act the primary percentage shall be 10 per cent; but the percentage is subject to alteration under sections 143 and 145 of the Administration Act."

(4) For section 9 of that Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"9 Calculation of secondary Class 1 contributions

(1) Where a secondary Class 1 contribution is payable, the amount of that contribution shall be the secondary percentage of so much of the earnings paid in the tax week, in respect of the employment in question, as exceeds the current earnings threshold (or the prescribed equivalent).

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) above, the secondary percentage shall be 12.2 per cent; but the percentage is subject to alteration under sections 143 and 145 of the Administration Act.

(3) Subsection (1) above is subject to regulations under section 6(5) above and sections 116 to 120 below and to section 41 of the Pensions Act."

52 Class 1A contributions

In subsection (2) of section 10 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (Class 1A contributions), for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(b) if paragraph (a) above does not apply, the person who, if the benefit in respect of which the Class 1A contribution is payable were earnings in respect of which Class 1 contributions would be payable, would be liable to pay the secondary Class 1 contribution."

53 Class 1B contributions

After section 10 of the Contributions and Benefits Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"Class 1B contributions

10A Class 1B contributions

(1) Where for any tax year a person is accountable to the Inland Revenue in respect of income tax on emoluments of his employees in accordance with a PAYE settlement agreement, a Class 1B contribution shall be payable by him for that tax year in accordance with this section.

(2) The Class 1B contribution referred to in subsection (1) above is payable in respect of–

(a) the amount of any of the emoluments included in the PAYE settlement agreement which are chargeable emoluments; and

(b) the total amount of income tax in respect of which the person is accountable for the tax year in accordance with the PAYE settlement agreement.

(3) The amount of the Class 1B contribution referred to in subsection (1) above shall be the Class 1B percentage of the aggregate of the amounts mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) above.

(4) Emoluments are chargeable emoluments for the purposes of subsection (2) above if, apart from section 6(2A) or 10(8A) above, the person accountable in accordance with the PAYE settlement agreement would be liable or entitled to pay secondary Class 1 contributions or Class 1A contributions in respect of them.

(5) Where–

(a) the PAYE settlement agreement was entered into after the beginning of the tax year; and

(b) Class 1 contributions were due in respect of any emoluments before it was entered into,

those emoluments shall not be taken to be included in the PAYE settlement agreement.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (3) above the Class 1B percentage shall be 12.2 per cent, but the percentage is subject to alteration under section 143A of the Administration Act.

(7) Regulations may provide for persons to be excepted in prescribed circumstances from liability to pay Class 1B contributions."

54 Contributions paid in error

After section 19 of the Contributions and Benefits Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"19A Class 1, 1A or 1B contributions paid in error

(1) This section applies where–

(a) payments by way of Class 1, Class 1A or Class 1B contributions are made in respect of earnings paid to or for the benefit of an earner (or in respect of a benefit made available to an earner) in 1998-99 or a subsequent tax year ("year 1");

(b) the payments are made in error, in that the employment from which the earnings are derived (or by reason of which the benefit is made available) is not employed earner´s employment; and

(c) the person making the payments has not been notified of the error by the Secretary of State before the end of the tax year following year 1 ("year 2").

(2) After the end of year 2 the earner shall, except in such circumstances as may be prescribed, be treated for all purposes relating to–

(a) contributions and contributory benefits; and

(b) statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay,

as if the earnings were derived from (or the benefit were made available by reason of) employed earner´s employment."

55 Recovery of primary Class 1 contributions by secondary contributors

In paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (supplementary provisions as to contributions)–

(a) in sub-paragraph (3), for the words from "and notwithstanding" to "any enactment" there shall be substituted the words "and, subject to sub-paragraph (4) below but notwithstanding any other provision in any enactment";

(b) after that sub-paragraph there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraphs–

"(4) Sub-paragraph (5) below applies in a case where–

(a) a person ("the employee") ceases in a particular tax year ("the cessation year") to be employed by a particular employer ("the employer"); and

(b) the employee receives from the employer in the cessation year, after the cessation of the employment, earnings in a form other than money ("non-monetary earnings").

(5) If and to the extent that regulations so provide, the employer may recover from the employee in such manner as may be prescribed any primary Class 1 contributions paid or to be paid by him on the employee´s behalf in respect of–

(a) the non-monetary earnings mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) above; or

(b) any non-monetary earnings received by the employee from the employer in the cessation year before the cessation of the employment,

which he was unable to recover by deduction from the employee´s earnings."

56 Contributions returns

(1) In sub-paragraph (3) of paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act–

(a) for the words "is liable to" there shall be substituted the words "has been required to pay"; and

(b) for the words "be liable to" there shall be substituted the words "be required to pay".

(2) After that paragraph there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"7A (1) This paragraph applies where paragraph 7 above applies; and in this paragraph "contributions return" has the same meaning as in that paragraph.

(2) Without prejudice to paragraph 7(2) above or to the powers of the Inland Revenue to penalise omissions or errors in returns, regulations may provide for the Secretary of State to impose penalties in respect of a person who, in making a contributions return, fraudulently or negligently–

(a) fails to provide any information or computation that he is required to provide; or

(b) provides any such information or computation that is incorrect.

(3) Regulations under sub-paragraph (2) above shall–

(a) prescribe the rates of penalty, or provide for how they are to be ascertained;

(b) provide for the penalty to be imposed by the Secretary of State within six years after the date on which the penalty is incurred;

(c) provide for determining the date on which, for the purposes of paragraph (b) above, the penalty is incurred;

(d) prescribe the means by which the penalty is to be enforced; and

(e) provide for enabling the Secretary of State, in his discretion, to mitigate or to remit the penalty, or to stay or to compound any proceedings for it."

57 Collection of contributions by Secretary of State

After paragraph 7A of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"Collection of contributions by Secretary of State

7B (1) Regulations may provide that, in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed–

(a) contributions payable under Part I of this Act shall be paid to the Secretary of State (and not to the Inland Revenue); and

(b) the Secretary of State shall be responsible for the collection of such contributions, and generally for the relevant administration.

(2) Regulations under this paragraph may, in particular–

(a) provide for returns to be made to the Secretary of State by such date as may be prescribed;

(b) prescribe the form in which returns are to be made, or provide for returns to be made in such form as the Secretary of State may approve;

(c) prescribe the manner in which contributions are to be paid, or provide for contributions to be paid in such manner as the Secretary of State may approve;

(d) prescribe the due date for the payment of contributions;

(e) subject to sub-paragraph (4) below, provide for interest to be charged by the Secretary of State on contributions that are not paid by the due date, and for enabling such interest to be remitted or repaid;

(f) provide for interest to be paid on contributions that fall to be repaid;

(g) provide for determining the date from which interest to be charged or paid pursuant to regulations under paragraph (e) or (f) above is to be calculated;

(h) provide for penalties to be imposed in respect of a person who–

(i) fails to submit, within the time allowed, a return required to be made in accordance with regulations under paragraph (a) above;

(ii) in making such a return, fraudulently or negligently fails to provide any information or computation that he is required to provide;

(iii) in making such a return, fraudulently or negligently provides any incorrect information or computation; or

(iv) fails to pay Class 2 contributions by the due date;

(i) provide for a penalty imposed pursuant to regulations under paragraph (h) above to carry interest from the date on which it becomes payable until payment.

(3) Where–

(a) a decision relating to contributions falls to be made under section 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 or 15 of the Social Security Act 1998; and

(b) the decision will affect a person´s liability for, or the amount of, any interest due in respect of those contributions,

regulations under sub-paragraph (2)(e) above shall not require any such interest to be paid until the decision has been made.

(4) Regulations under sub-paragraph (2)(e) above may provide that, in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, interest under those regulations may be charged by the Inland Revenue (instead of the Secretary of State) as if the regulations were made by virtue of paragraph 6 above.

(5) Regulations under sub-paragraph (2)(h) above shall–

(a) prescribe the rates of penalty, or provide for how they are to be ascertained;

(b) subject to sub-paragraph (6) below, provide for the penalty to be imposed by the Secretary of State–

(i) within six years after the date on which the penalty is incurred; or

(ii) where the amount of the penalty is to be ascertained by reference to the amount of any contributions payable, at any later time within three years after the final determination of the amount of those contributions;

(c) provide for determining the date on which, for the purposes of paragraph (b) above, the penalty is incurred;

(d) prescribe the means by which the penalty is to be enforced; and

(e) provide for enabling the Secretary of State, in his discretion, to mitigate or to remit the penalty, or to stay or to compound any proceedings for it.

(6) Regulations under sub-paragraph (2)(h)(ii) or (iii) above may provide that, in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, penalties under those regulations may be imposed by the Inland Revenue (instead of the Secretary of State) as if the return in question were a contributions return within the meaning of paragraph 7 above.

(7) Section 12 above shall not apply in relation to Class 2 contributions in respect of which the Secretary of State charges interest or imposes a penalty pursuant to regulations under paragraph (e) or (h) of sub-paragraph (2) above.

(8) Interest or penalties may be charged by virtue of regulations under this paragraph in respect of a period before the coming into force of section 57 of the Social Security Act 1998 but only to the extent that interest or penalties would have been chargeable if the contributions in question had been recoverable, in respect of that period, by virtue of regulations under paragraph 6 above.

(9) Any reference to contributions in sub-paragraph (1) above shall be construed as including a reference to any interest or penalty payable, in respect of contributions, by virtue of regulations under paragraph (e) or (h) of sub-paragraph (2) above.

(10) The rate of interest applicable for any purpose of this paragraph shall be the rate from time to time prescribed under section 178 of the [1989 c. 26.] Finance Act 1989 for the corresponding purpose of paragraph 6 above."

58 Interest and penalties chargeable concurrently with Inland Revenue

After paragraph 7B of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"Interest and penalties chargeable concurrently with Inland Revenue

7C (1) Any interest or penalty chargeable by the Inland Revenue by virtue of regulations under paragraph 6 or 7 above may also be charged by the Secretary of State.

(2) To the extent that any interest or penalty is recovered by the Secretary of State by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) above, or by virtue of regulations under paragraph 7B above, it shall not be recoverable by the Inland Revenue by virtue of regulations under paragraph 6 or 7 above; and vice versa.

(3) To the extent that any penalty is recovered by the Secretary of State by virtue of regulations under paragraph 7A above, it shall not be recoverable by the Inland Revenue by virtue of regulations under paragraph 7 above; and vice versa."

59 Levy of Class 4 contributions with income tax

(1) Schedule 2 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (levy of Class 4 contributions with income tax) and Schedule 2 to the [1992 c. 7.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (corresponding provision for Northern Ireland) shall each be amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 2, for the words from "subject to", in the second place where they occur, to the end there shall be substituted the words "subject to deduction for any allowance–

(a) the amount of which falls to be given by way of discharge or repayment of income tax under section 141 of the Act of 1990; and

(b) which arises from activities of any relevant trade, profession or vocation."

(3) In paragraph 3, sub-paragraph (1)(b) shall cease to have effect.

(4) In sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 4, for the words "may either be charged" to the end there shall be substituted the words "shall be charged on him separately".

(5) In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 6–

(a) for the words from "Sections 86" to "fault)" there shall be substituted the words "Section 86 of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 (interest on overdue tax)";

(b) for the words "as they apply" there shall be substituted the words "as it applies".

(6) In sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph–

(a) the words "or 88" shall cease to have effect;

(b) for the words "either of those sections on tax" there shall be substituted the words "that section on income tax".

Amendments of Administration Act

60 Breach of regulations

For section 113 of the Administration Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"113 Breach of regulations

(1) Regulations and schemes under any of the Acts to which section 110 above applies may provide that any person who contravenes, or fails to comply with, any provision contained in regulations made under that Act–

(a) in the case of a provision relating to contributions, shall be liable to a penalty;

(b) in any other case, shall be guilty of an offence under that Act.

(2) Any regulations or scheme making such provision as is mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above shall–

(a) prescribe the amount or rate of penalty, or provide for how it is to be ascertained;

(b) provide for the penalty to be imposed by the Secretary of State–

(i) within six years after the date on which the penalty is incurred; or

(ii) where the amount of the penalty is to be ascertained by reference to the amount of any contributions payable, at any later time within three years after the final determination of the amount of those contributions;

(c) provide for determining the date on which, for the purposes of paragraph (b) above, the penalty is incurred;

(d) prescribe the means by which the penalty is to be enforced; and

(e) provide for enabling the Secretary of State, in his discretion, to mitigate or to remit any such penalty, or to stay or to compound any proceedings for a penalty.

(3) A person guilty of such an offence as is mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above shall be liable on summary conviction–

(a) to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale;

(b) in the case of an offence of continuing a contravention or failure after conviction, to a fine not exceeding £40 for each day on which it is so continued.

(4) Any provision contained in regulations which authorises statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay to be set off against secondary Class 1 contributions is not a provision relating to contributions for the purposes of this section."

61 Offences and penalties relating to contributions

For section 114 of the Administration Act there shall be substituted the following sections–

"114 Offences relating to contributions

(1) Any person who is knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of any contributions which he or any other person is liable to pay shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable–

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or to a fine or to both;

(b) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

114A Penalties relating to contributions

(1) If a person fails to pay, at or within the time prescribed for the purpose, any contribution which he is liable to pay, he shall be liable to a penalty.

(2) If a person fails to pay, at or within the time prescribed for the purpose, any sums which he is required by regulations made by virtue of paragraph 6 or 7B of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act to pay, he shall be liable to a penalty under subsection (1) above without proof of his failure so to pay any particular contribution.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1) above, regulations shall–

(a) prescribe the amount or rate of penalty, or provide for how it is to be ascertained;

(b) provide for the penalty to be imposed by the Secretary of State–

(i) within six years after the date on which the penalty is incurred; or

(ii) where the amount of the penalty is to be ascertained by reference to the amount of any contributions payable, at any later time within three years after the final determination of the amount of those contributions;

(c) provide for determining the date on which, for the purposes of paragraph (b) above, the penalty is incurred;

(d) prescribe the means by which the penalty is to be enforced; and

(e) provide for enabling the Secretary of State, in his discretion, to mitigate or to remit any such penalty, or to stay or to compound any proceedings for a penalty.

(4) Subsection (1) above does not apply–

(a) to any failure by a person in respect of which he has been convicted of an offence under section 114(1) above; or

(b) to Class 4 contributions recoverable by the Inland Revenue."

62 Evidence of non-payment

(1) For subsection (1) of section 118 of the Administration Act (evidence of non-payment) there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(1) A certificate of an authorised officer that any amount by way of contributions, or by way of interest or penalty in respect of contributions, which a person is liable to pay to the Secretary of State for any period has not been paid–

(a) to the officer; or

(b) to the best of his knowledge and belief, to any other person to whom it might lawfully be paid,

shall until the contrary is proved be sufficient evidence in any proceedings before any court that the sum mentioned in the certificate is unpaid and due.

(1A) Subsection (2) below applies with respect to any period during which, under regulations made by virtue of paragraph 6(1) of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (deduction with PAYE), contributions fall to be paid in like manner as income tax."

(2) In subsection (3) of that section, after the words "such a certificate", in the first place where they occur, there shall be inserted the words "as is mentioned in subsection (1) or (2) above".

(3) In subsection (4) of that section, the words "for a particular contribution card or", and the words "the card in question or", shall cease to have effect.

(4) After subsection (6) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(7) In this section "authorised officer" means an officer of the Secretary of State authorised by him for the purposes of this section."

63 Recovery of contributions etc

After section 121 of the Administration Act there shall be inserted the following sections–

"121A Recovery of contributions etc. in England and Wales

(1) If–

(a) a person is served at any time with a copy of a certificate under section 118(1) above; and

(b) he neglects or refuses to pay the contributions, interest or penalty to which the certificate relates within 30 days of that time,

an authorised officer may distrain upon the goods and chattels of that person ("the person in default").

(2) For the purpose of levying any such distress, a justice of the peace, on being satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable ground for believing that the conditions in subsection (1) above are fulfilled, may issue a warrant in writing authorising the authorised officer to enter in the daytime, by force if necessary, any premises to which this section applies, calling on the assistance of any constable.

(3) Every such constable shall, when so required, assist the authorised officer in the execution of the warrant and in levying the distress in the premises.

(4) A warrant to enter premises by force shall be executed by the authorised officer, or under his direction and in his presence.

(5) A distress levied by the authorised officer shall be kept for five days, and any costs or charges shall be borne by the person in default.

(6) If the person in default does not pay the sum due, together with the costs and charges, the distress shall be appraised by one or more independent persons appointed by the authorised officer, and shall be sold by public auction by the authorised officer for payment of the sum due and all costs and charges.

(7) Any surplus arising from the distress, after the deduction of the costs and charges and of the sum due, shall be paid to the owner of the goods distrained.

(8) Regulations may make provision with respect to–

(a) the fees chargeable on or in connection with the levying of distress; and

(b) the costs and charges recoverable where distress has been levied.

(9) In this section "authorised officer" means an officer of the Secretary of State authorised by him for the purposes of this section.

(10) The premises to which this section applies are premises where an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for believing that–

(a) any persons are employed; or

(b) a trade or business is being carried on;

but this section does not apply to a private dwelling-house unless an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for believing that a trade or business is being carried on from the dwelling-house and that the trade or business is not also being carried on from premises other than a dwelling-house.

121B Recovery of contributions etc. in Scotland

(1) Where any contributions, interest or penalty remains unpaid 30 days after the service of a certificate under section 118(1) above, an authorised officer may apply to the sheriff for the grant of a summary warrant authorising the recovery of the amount remaining unpaid by any of the following diligences–

(a) a poinding and sale in accordance with Schedule 5 to the [1987 c. 18.] Debtors (Scotland) Act l987;

(b) an earnings arrestment;

(c) an arrestment and action of furthcoming or sale.

(2) An application under subsection (1) above shall be accompanied by–

(a) a copy of the certificate served under section 118(1) above; and

(b) a certificate by the authorised officer–

(i) stating that the certificate was served on the person specified in the application;

(ii) stating that the amount specified in the certificate, or any part of that amount, remains unpaid at the date of the application.

(3) A summary warrant granted on an application under subsection (1) above shall be in such form as may be prescribed by Act of Sederunt.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) below and without prejudice to paragraphs 25 to 34 of Schedule 5 to the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (expenses of poinding and sale), the sheriff officer´s fees, together with the outlays necessarily incurred by him, in connection with the execution of a summary warrant granted on an application under subsection (1) above shall be chargeable against the debtor.

(5) No fee shall be chargeable by the sheriff officer against the debtor for collecting, and accounting to the Secretary of State, for sums paid to him by the debtor in respect of the amount owing.

(6) In this section "authorised officer" means an officer of the Secretary of State authorised by him for the purposes of this section."

64 Liability of directors etc. for company´s contributions

After section 121B of the Administration Act there shall be inserted the following sections–

"121C Liability of directors etc. for company´s contributions

(1) This section applies to contributions which a body corporate is liable to pay, where–

(a) the body corporate has failed to pay the contributions at or within the time prescribed for the purpose; and

(b) the failure appears to the Secretary of State to be attributable to fraud or neglect on the part of one or more individuals who, at the time of the fraud or neglect, were officers of the body corporate ("culpable officers").

(2) The Secretary of State may issue and serve on any culpable officer a notice (a "personal liability notice")–

(a) specifying the amount of the contributions to which this section applies ("the specified amount");

(b) requiring the officer to pay to the Secretary of State–

(i) a specified sum in respect of that amount; and

(ii) specified interest on that sum; and

(c) where that sum is given by paragraph (b) of subsection (3) below, specifying the proportion applied by the Secretary of State for the purposes of that paragraph.

(3) The sum specified in the personal liability notice under subsection (2)(b)(i) above shall be–

(a) in a case where there is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, no other culpable officer, the whole of the specified amount; and

(b) in any other case, such proportion of the specified amount as, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, the officer´s culpability for the failure to pay that amount bears to that of all the culpable officers taken together.

(4) In assessing an officer´s culpability for the purposes of subsection (3)(b) above, the Secretary of State may have regard both to the gravity of the officer´s fraud or neglect and to the consequences of it.

(5) The interest specified in the personal liability notice under subsection (2)(b)(ii) above shall be at the prescribed rate and shall run from the date on which the notice is issued.

(6) An officer who is served with a personal liability notice shall be liable to pay to the Secretary of State the sum and the interest specified in the notice under subsection (2)(b) above.

(7) Where, after the issue of one or more personal liability notices, the amount of contributions to which this section applies is reduced by a payment made by the body corporate–

(a) the amount that each officer who has been served with such a notice is liable to pay under this section shall be reduced accordingly;

(b) the Secretary of State shall serve on each such officer a notice to that effect; and

(c) where the reduced liability of any such officer is less than the amount that he has already paid under this section, the difference shall be repaid to him together with interest on it at the prescribed rate.

(8) Any amount paid under a personal liability notice shall be deducted from the liability of the body corporate in respect of the specified amount.

(9) In this section–

• "contributions" includes any interest or penalty in respect of contributions;

• "officer", in relation to a body corporate, means–

  (a)

  any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person purporting to act as such; and

  (b)

  in a case where the affairs of the body corporate are managed by its members, any member of the body corporate exercising functions of management with respect to it or purporting to do so;

• "the prescribed rate" means the rate from time to time prescribed by regulations under section 178 of the [1989 c. 26.] Finance Act 1989 for the purposes of the corresponding provision of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act, that is to say–

  (a)

  in relation to subsection (5) above, paragraph 6(2)(a);

  (b)

  in relation to subsection (7) above, paragraph 6(2)(b).

121D Appeals in relation to personal liability notices

(1) No appeal shall lie in relation to a personal liability notice except as provided by this section.

(2) An individual who is served with a personal liability notice may appeal to an appeal tribunal against the Secretary of State´s decision as to the issue and content of the notice on the ground that–

(a) the whole or part of the amount specified under subsection (2)(a) of section 121C above (or the amount so specified as reduced under subsection (7) of that section) does not represent contributions to which that section applies;

(b) the failure to pay that amount was not attributable to any fraud or neglect on the part of the individual in question;

(c) the individual was not an officer of the body corporate at the time of the alleged fraud or neglect; or

(d) the opinion formed by the Secretary of State under subsection (3)(a) or (b) of that section was unreasonable.

(3) The Secretary of State shall give a copy of any notice of an appeal under this section, within 28 days of the giving of the notice, to each other individual who has been served with a personal liability notice.

(4) On an appeal under this section, the burden of proof as to any matter raised by a ground of appeal shall be on the Secretary of State.

(5) Where an appeal under this section–

(a) is brought on the basis of evidence not considered by the Secretary of State, or on the ground mentioned in subsection (2)(d) above; and

(b) is not allowed on some other basis or ground,

the appeal tribunal shall either dismiss the appeal or remit the case to the Secretary of State, with any recommendations it sees fit to make, for him to consider whether to revise his decision as to the issue and content of the personal liability notice.

(6) In this section–

• "appeal tribunal" means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998;

• "officer", in relation to a body corporate, has the same meaning as in section 121C above;

• "personal liability notice" has the meaning given by subsection (2) of that section;

• "revise" means revise under section 9 of the Social Security Act 1998."

65 Class 1B contributions: supplemental

(1) After section 143 of the Administration Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"143A Power to alter Class 1B contributions

(1) Without prejudice to section 141 above, the Secretary of State may at any time, if he thinks it expedient to do so–

(a) with a view to adjusting the level at which the National Insurance Fund stands for the time being and having regard to the sums which may be expected to be paid from the Fund in any future period; or

(b) having regard to the percentage rate specified as the secondary percentage in section 9(2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act,

make an order altering the percentage rate specified as the Class 1B percentage in section 10A(6) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

(2) No order shall be made under this section so as to increase for any tax year the percentage rate of the Class 1B percentage to a percentage rate more than 2 per cent higher than the percentage rate applicable at the end of the preceding tax year."

(2) In subsection (5) of section 162 of that Act (destination of contributions), after paragraph (c) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(ca) in the case of Class 1B contributions, 0.9 per cent of the amount estimated to be the aggregate of the emoluments and the amounts of income tax in respect of which those contributions were paid;".

66 Payments of certain contributions out of the Consolidated Fund

(1) Subsection (4) of section 163 of the Administration Act (general financial arrangements) shall have effect, and shall be deemed always to have had effect, as if–

(a) for the words "a secondary contributor" there were substituted the words "any person"; and

(b) after the words "any secondary Class 1 contributions" there were inserted the words ", or any Class 1A contributions,".

(2) Subsection (2) of section 1 of the [1977 c. 5.] Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977 (from which subsection (4) of section 163 is derived) shall be deemed to have had effect with the same amendments as from the commencement of the [1991 c. 42.] Social Security (Contributions) Act 1991.

Part III Benefits

Amendments etc. of Contributions and Benefits Act

67 Daily rate of maternity allowance

In subsection (5) of section 35 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (maternity allowance), for paragraphs (a) and (b) there shall be substituted the words "the amount payable by way of that allowance for any day shall be taken as one seventh of the weekly rate of the allowance".

68 Rates of short-term incapacity benefit

For subsection (4) of section 44 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (Category A retirement pension) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(4) The weekly rate of the basic pension shall be £64.70 except that, so far as the sum is relevant for the purpose of calculating the lower rate of short-term incapacity benefit under section 30B(3) above, it shall be £62.05.

In this subsection "the lower rate" means the rate payable for the first 196 days of entitlement in any period of incapacity for work."

69 Validation of certain housing benefit determinations

(1) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) below, in so far as a housing benefit determination made before 18th August 1997 purported to determine that housing benefit was payable in respect of–

(a) charges for medical care, nursing care or personal care; or

(b) charges for general counselling or any other support services,

it shall be deemed to have been validly made if, on the assumption mentioned in subsection (2) below, it would have been so made.

(2) The assumption is that, at all material times, such charges as are mentioned in subsection (1) above were eligible to be met by housing benefit where the claimant´s right to occupy the dwelling was conditional on his payment of the charges.

(3) Where the effect of a review carried out on or after 18th August 1997 was to revise the amount of housing benefit payable in respect of any validated charges–

(a) the revision shall be deemed not to have been validly made in so far as it had the effect of increasing that amount; and

(b) housing benefit shall cease to be payable in respect of those charges as from the beginning of the period for which the first payment of the revised amount of benefit was made.

(4) Housing benefit shall not be payable in respect of any validated charges for any period falling after–

(a) 5th April 1998 where the rent is payable at intervals of a whole number of weeks; and

(b) 31st March 1998 in any other case.

(5) In this section–

• "the dwelling", in relation to a housing benefit determination, means the dwelling in respect of which the determination was made;

• "housing benefit determination" means a determination under section 130 of the Contributions and Benefits Act or the corresponding provisions of the [1986 c. 50.] Social Security Act 1986, or a decision on a review of such a determination;

• "medical care" includes treatment or counselling related to mental disorder, mental handicap, physical disablement or past or present alcohol or drug dependence;

• "personal care" includes assistance at meal-times or with personal appearance or hygiene;

• "validated charges" means charges in respect of which housing benefit is payable only by virtue of subsection (1) above.

70 Discretionary payments out of social fund

(1) For subsection (1) of section 138 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (payments out of social fund) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) There may be made out of the social fund, in accordance with this Part of this Act–

(a) payments of prescribed amounts, whether in respect of prescribed items or otherwise, to meet, in prescribed circumstances, maternity expenses and funeral expenses; and

(b) payments by way of community care grant, crisis loan or budgeting loan to meet other needs in accordance with directions given or guidance issued by the Secretary of State."

(2) After subsection (4) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(5) In this Part–

• "budgeting loan" means a loan awarded in circumstances specified in directions issued by the Secretary of State for the purpose of defraying an intermittent expense;

• "community care grant" means a grant awarded in circumstances so specified for the purpose of meeting a need for community care;

• "crisis loan" means a loan awarded in circumstances so specified for the purpose of meeting an immediate short term need;

and any reference in this subsection to meeting a need or defraying an expense includes a reference to helping to meet the need or to defray the expense."

71 Budgeting loans: criteria for making awards

(1) In subsection (1) of section 140 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (social fund: principles of determination), after the word "award" there shall be inserted the words "of a community care grant or a crisis loan".

(2) After that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(1A) Subject to subsection (2) below, in determining whether to make an award of a budgeting loan to the applicant, or the amount or value to be awarded, an appropriate officer shall have regard to–

(a) such of the applicant´s personal circumstances as are of a description specified in directions issued by the Secretary of State; and

(b) the criteria specified in paragraphs (b) to (e) of subsection (1) above;

but where the criterion mentioned in paragraph (a) above would preclude the award of such a loan, the appropriate officer shall have regard instead to such other criterion as may be specified in directions so issued."

(3) In subsection (4) of that section, paragraph (e) shall cease to have effect and after paragraph (a) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(aa) that in circumstances specified in the direction an application for an award of a community care grant may be treated as an application for an award of a crisis loan, and vice versa;".

72 Power to reduce child benefit for lone parents

(1) Regulations may revoke any provision of regulations which prescribes a higher rate of child benefit in the case of a lone parent, notwithstanding anything in section 145(4) of the Contributions and Benefits Act (which precludes regulations from prescribing a rate lower than the rate it replaces).

(2) In this section "lone parent" means a parent who–

(a) has no spouse or is not living with his spouse; and

(b) is not living with any other person as his spouse.

73 Statutory sick pay not precluded by maternity allowance

In paragraph 2(d) of Schedule 11 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (circumstances in which periods of entitlement to statutory sick pay do not arise), the words "(ii) she was entitled to a maternity allowance, or" shall cease to have effect.

Amendments of Administration Act

74 Provision of information

In subsection (1) of section 5 of the Administration Act (regulations about claims for and payments of benefit), there shall be inserted after paragraph (h) the following paragraph–

"(hh) for requiring such person as may be prescribed in accordance with the regulations to furnish any information or evidence needed for a determination whether a decision on an award of benefit to which this section applies–

(i) should be revised under section 9 of the Social Security Act 1998; or

(ii) should be superseded under section 10 of that Act;".

75 Overpayments out of social fund

(1) After section 71 of the Administration Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"71ZA Overpayments out of social fund

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, section 71 above shall apply in relation to social fund payments to which this section applies as it applies in relation to payments made in respect of benefits to which that section applies.

(2) Section 71 above as it so applies shall have effect as if–

(a) in paragraph (a) of subsection (5) and subsection (5A), for the words "reversed or varied on an appeal or has been revised under section 9 or superseded under section 10" there were substituted the words "revised on a review under section 38";

(b) in paragraph (b) of subsection (5), for the words "on the appeal or under that section" there were substituted the words "on the review"; and

(c) subsections (7), (10A) and (10B) were omitted.

(3) This section applies to social fund payments such as are mentioned in section 138(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act."

(2) This section applies where such a determination as is mentioned in section 71(1) of the Administration Act is made in relation to a social fund payment–

(a) to which section 71ZA of that Act applies; and

(b) which is made on or after the day on which this section comes into force.

76 Power to anticipate pensions up-rating order

After section 155 of the Administration Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"155A Power to anticipate pensions up-rating order

(1) This section applies where a statement is made in the House of Commons by or on behalf of the Secretary of State which specifies–

(a) the amounts by which he proposes, by an order under section 150 above, to increase–

(i) the weekly sums that are payable by way of retirement pension; or

(ii) the amount of graduated retirement benefit payable for each unit of graduated contributions; and

(b) the date on which he proposes to bring the increases into force ("the commencing date").

(2) Where, before the commencing date and after the date on which the statement is made, an award is made of a retirement pension or a graduated retirement benefit, the award either may provide for the pension or benefit to be paid as from the commencing date at the increased rate or may be expressed in terms of the rate appropriate at the date of the award."

Part IV Miscellaneous and supplemental

77 Pilot schemes

(1) Any regulations to which this subsection applies may be made so as to have effect for a specified period not exceeding 12 months.

(2) Any regulations which, by virtue of subsection (1) above, are to have effect for a limited period are referred to in this section as "a pilot scheme".

(3) A pilot scheme may provide that its provisions are to apply only in relation to–

(a) one or more specified areas or localities;

(b) one or more specified classes of person;

(c) persons selected–

(i) by reference to prescribed criteria; or

(ii) on a sampling basis.

(4) A pilot scheme may make consequential or transitional provision with respect to the cessation of the scheme on the expiry of the specified period.

(5) A pilot scheme ("the previous scheme") may be replaced by a further pilot scheme making the same, or similar, provision (apart from the specified period) to that made by the previous scheme.

(6) In so far as a pilot scheme would, apart from this subsection, have the effect of–

(a) treating as capable of work any person who would not otherwise be so treated; or

(b) reducing the total amount of benefit that would otherwise be payable to any person,

it shall not apply in relation to that person.

(7) Subsection (1) above applies to–

(a) regulations made under section 171D of the Contributions and Benefits Act (incapacity for work: persons treated as incapable of work); and

(b) in so far as they are consequential on or supplementary to any such regulations, regulations made under any of the provisions mentioned in subsection (8) below.

(8) The provisions are–

(a) subsection (5)(a) of section 22 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (earnings factors);

(b) section 30C of that Act (incapacity benefit);

(c) sections 68 and 69 of that Act (severe disablement allowance);

(d) subsection (1)(e) of section 124 of that Act (income support) and, so far as relating to income support, subsection (1) of section 135 of that Act (the applicable amount);

(e) Part XIIA of that Act (incapacity for work);

(f) section 61A of the Administration Act and section 31 above (incapacity for work).

(9) A statutory instrument containing (whether alone or with other provisions) a pilot scheme shall not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

78 Expenditure for facilitating transfer of functions etc

(1) The Secretary of State and the Commissioners of Inland Revenue may incur expenditure in doing anything which in his or their opinion is appropriate for the purpose of facilitating either of the following things, namely–

(a) the transfer to the Commissioners of such of the functions of the Secretary of State as are exercisable by the Contributions Agency; and

(b) the exercise by the Commissioners of those functions.

(2) The powers conferred by subsection (1) above–

(a) shall be exercisable whether or not Parliament has given any approval on which either of the things there mentioned depends; and

(b) shall be without prejudice to any power conferred otherwise than by virtue of that subsection.

(3) Any expenditure incurred under this section shall be defrayed out of money provided by Parliament.

(4) In its application to Northern Ireland, this section shall have effect with the following modifications, namely–

(a) for the first reference to the Secretary of State there shall be substituted a reference to the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland;

(b) for the reference to such of the functions of the Secretary of State as are exercisable by the Contributions Agency there shall be substituted a reference to such of the functions of that Department as correspond to those functions; and

(c) for the reference to money provided by Parliament there shall be substituted a reference to money appropriated by Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

79 Regulations and orders

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below and paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 to this Act, regulations under this Act shall be made by the Secretary of State.

(2) Regulations with respect to proceedings before the Commissioners (whether for the determination of any matter or for leave to appeal to or from the Commissioners) shall be made by the Lord Chancellor; and where the Lord Chancellor proposes to make regulations under this Act it shall be his duty to consult the Lord Advocate with respect to the proposal.

(3) Powers under this Act to make regulations or orders are exercisable by statutory instrument.

(4) Any power conferred by this Act to make regulations or orders may be exercised–

(a) either in relation to all cases to which the power extends, or in relation to those cases subject to specified exceptions, or in relation to any specified cases or classes of case;

(b) so as to make, as respects the cases in relation to which it is exercised–

(i) the full provision to which the power extends or any less provision (whether by way of exception or otherwise);

(ii) the same provision for all cases in relation to which the power is exercised, or different provision for different cases or different classes of case or different provision as respects the same case or class of case for different purposes of this Act;

(iii) any such provision either unconditionally or subject to any specified condition;

and where such a power is expressed to be exercisable for alternative purposes it may be exercised in relation to the same case for any or all of those purposes.

(5) Powers to make regulations for the purposes of any one provision of this Act are without prejudice to powers to make regulations for the purposes of any other provision.

(6) Without prejudice to any specific provision in this Act, a power conferred by this Act to make regulations includes power to make thereby such incidental, supplementary, consequential or transitional provision as appears to the authority making the regulations to be expedient for the purposes of those regulations.

(7) Without prejudice to any specific provisions in this Act, a power conferred by any provision of this Act to make regulations includes power to provide for a person to exercise a discretion in dealing with any matter.

(8) Any power conferred by this Act to make regulations relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit shall include power to make different provision for different areas or different authorities.

(9) In this section "Commissioner" has the same meaning as in Chapter II of Part I.

80 Parliamentary control of regulations

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a statutory instrument containing (whether alone or with other provisions) regulations under–

(a) section 7, 12(2) or 72 above; or

(b) paragraph 12 of Schedule 1, paragraph 9 of Schedule 2 or paragraph 2 of Schedule 5 to this Act,

shall not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(2) A statutory instrument–

(a) which contains (whether alone or with other provisions) regulations made under this Act by the Secretary of State; and

(b) which is not subject to any requirement that a draft of the instrument be laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament,

shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(3) A statutory instrument–

(a) which contains (whether alone or with other provisions) regulations made under this Act by the Lord Chancellor; and

(b) which is not subject to any requirement that a draft of the instrument be laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament,

shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

81 Reports by Secretary of State

(1) The Secretary of State shall prepare, either annually or at such times or intervals as may be prescribed, a report on the standards achieved by the Secretary of State in the making of decisions against which an appeal lies to an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I.

(2) A copy of every such report shall be laid before each House of Parliament.

82 Financial provisions

(1) There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament–

(a) any expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State or the Lord Chancellor under or by virtue of this Act; and

(b) any increase attributable to this Act in the sums which under any other Act are payable out of money so provided.

(2) There shall be paid out of or into the Consolidated Fund any increase attributable to this Act in the sums which under any other Act are payable out of or into that Fund.

83 Transitory provisions

Schedule 6 to this Act (which contains transitory provisions) shall have effect.

84 Interpretation: general

In this Act–

• "the Administration Act" means the [1992 c. 5.] Social Security Administration Act 1992;

• "the Child Support Act" means the [1991 c. 48.] Child Support Act 1991;

• "the Contributions and Benefits Act" means the [1992 c. 4.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;

• "the Jobseekers Act" means the [1995 c. 18.] Jobseekers Act 1995;

• "the Vaccine Damage Payments Act" means the [1979 c. 17.] Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979;

• "prescribe" means prescribe by regulations.

85 Provision for Northern Ireland

An Order in Council under paragraph 1(1)(b) of Schedule 1 to the [1974 c. 28.] Northern Ireland Act 1974 (legislation for Northern Ireland in the interim period) which contains a statement that it is made only for purposes corresponding to those of this Act–

(a) shall not be subject to paragraph 1(4) and (5) of that Schedule (affirmative resolution of both Houses of Parliament); but

(b) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

86 Minor and consequential amendments and repeals

(1) The enactments mentioned in Schedule 7 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments there specified, being minor amendments and amendments consequential on the provisions of this Act.

(2) The enactments mentioned in Schedule 8 to this Act, which include some that are spent, are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule.

87 Short title, commencement and extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the Social Security Act 1998.

(2) This Act, except–

(a) sections 66, 69, 72 and 77 to 85, this section and Schedule 6 to this Act; and

(b) subsection (1) of section 50 so far as relating to a sum which is chargeable to tax by virtue of section 313 of the [1988 c. 1.] Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, and subsections (2) to (4) of that section,

shall come into force on such day as may be appointed by order made by the Secretary of State; and different days may be appointed for different provisions and for different purposes.

(3) An order under subsection (2) above may make such savings, or such transitional or consequential provision, as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient–

(a) in preparation for or in connection with the coming into force of any provision of this Act; or

(b) in connection with the operation of any enactment repealed or amended by a provision of this Act during any period when the repeal or amendment is not wholly in force.

(4) This Act, except–

(a) section 2 so far as relating to war pensions;

(b) sections 3, 15, 45 to 47, 59, 78 and 85 and this section; and

(c) section 86 and Schedules 7 and 8 so far as relating to enactments which extend to Northern Ireland,

does not extend to Northern Ireland.

(5) The following provisions of this Act extend to the Isle of Man, namely–

(a) in section 4, subsections (1)(c) and (2)(c);

(b) sections 6 and 7 and Schedule 1 so far as relating to appeals under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act;

(c) sections 45 to 47 and this section;

(d) paragraphs 5 to 10 of Schedule 7 and section 86(1) so far as relating to those paragraphs; and

(e) section 86(2) and Schedule 8 so far as relating to the Vaccine Damage Payments Act.

SCHEDULES

Sections 5(3) and 7(7).

SCHEDULE 1 Appeal tribunals: supplementary provisions

Tenure of office

1 (1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph, the President of appeal tribunals shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of his appointment.

(2) The President shall vacate his office on the day on which he attains the age of 70, but subject to section 26(4) to (6) of the [1993 c. 8.] Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (power to authorise continuance in office up to the age of 75).

(3) The President may be removed from office by the Lord Chancellor on the ground of incapacity or misbehaviour.

(4) Where the Lord Chancellor proposes to exercise a power conferred on him by sub-paragraph (3) above, it shall be his duty to consult the Lord Advocate with respect to the proposal.

Remuneration etc.

2 The Secretary of State may pay, or make such payments towards the provision of, such remuneration, pensions or allowances to or in respect of the President as he may determine.

3 The Secretary of State may pay, or make such payments towards the provision of, such remuneration, pensions or allowances to or in respect of any person appointed under this Chapter to act as a member of an appeal tribunal, or as an expert to such a tribunal, as he may determine.

4 (1) The Secretary of State may pay–

(a) to any person required to attend at any proceedings under section 12 of this Act or section 20 of the Child Support Act; or

(b) to any person required under this Part (whether for the purposes of this Part or otherwise) to attend for or to submit himself to medical or other examination or treatment,

such travelling and other allowances as he may determine.

(2) In this paragraph references to travelling and other allowances include references to compensation for loss of remunerative time but such compensation shall not be paid to any person in respect of any time during which he is in receipt of remuneration under paragraph 3 above.

5 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, the Secretary of State may pay such other expenses in connection with the work of any person or tribunal appointed or constituted under any provision of this Part as he may determine.

(2) Expenses are not payable under sub-paragraph (1) above in connection with the work of a tribunal presided over by a Social Security Commissioner.

Officers and staff

6 The Secretary of State may appoint such officers and staff as he thinks fit for the President and for appeal tribunals.

Functions of President

7 The President shall ensure that appropriate steps are taken by an appeal tribunal to secure the confidentiality, in such circumstances as may be prescribed, of any prescribed material or any prescribed classes or categories of material.

8 (1) The President shall, after the requisite consultation, arrange such training for persons appointed to the panel constituted under section 6 above as he considers appropriate.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1) above "the requisite consultation" means–

(a) except in the case of medical practitioners, consultation with the Secretary of State;

(b) in the case of such practitioners, consultation with the Chief Medical Officers of the Department of Health, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office.

9 The President shall supply the Secretary of State with such reports and other information with respect to the carrying out of the functions of appeal tribunals as the Secretary of State may require.

10 Each year the President shall make to the Secretary of State a written report, based on the cases coming before appeal tribunals, on the standards achieved by the Secretary of State in the making of decisions against which an appeal lies to an appeal tribunal; and the Secretary of State shall publish the report.

Clerks to appeal tribunals

11 The Secretary of State may by regulations provide–

(a) for clerks to be assigned to service appeal tribunals; and

(b) for clerks so assigned to be responsible for summoning members of the panel constituted under section 6 above to serve on such tribunals.

Delegation of certain functions of appeal tribunals

12 (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide–

(a) for officers authorised by the Secretary of State to make any determinations which fall to be made by an appeal tribunal and which do not involve the determination of any appeal, application for leave to appeal or reference;

(b) for the procedure to be followed by such officers in making such determinations;

(c) for the manner in which such determinations by such officers may be called in question.

(2) A determination which would have the effect of preventing an appeal, application for leave to appeal or reference being determined by an appeal tribunal is not a determination of the appeal, application or reference for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) above.

Certificates

13 A document bearing a certificate which–

(a) is signed by a person authorised in that behalf by the Secretary of State; and

(b) states that the document, apart from the certificate, is a record of a decision of an appeal tribunal or of an officer of the Secretary of State,

shall be conclusive evidence of the decision; and a certificate purporting to be so signed shall be deemed to be so signed unless the contrary is proved.

Section 12(1).

SCHEDULE 2 Decisions against which no appeal lies

Jobseeker´s allowance for persons under 18

1 In relation to a person who has reached the age of 16 but not the age of 18, a decision–

(a) whether section 16 of the Jobseekers Act is to apply to him; or

(b) whether to issue a certificate under section 17(4) of that Act.

Christmas bonus

2 A decision whether a person is entitled to payment under section 148 of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Priority between persons entitled to invalid care allowance

3 A decision as to the exercise of the discretion under section 70(7) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Priority between persons entitled to child benefit

4 A decision as to the exercise of the discretion under paragraph 5 of Schedule 10 to the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Persons treated as if present in Great Britain

5 A decision whether to certify, in accordance with regulations made under section 64(1), 71(6), 113(1) or 119 of the Contributions and Benefits Act, that it is consistent with the proper administration of that Act to treat a person as though he were present in Great Britain.

Alteration of rates of benefit

6 A decision as to the amount of benefit to which a person is entitled, where it appears to the Secretary of State that the amount is determined by–

(a) the rate of benefit provided for by law; or

(b) an alteration of a kind referred to in–

(i) section 159(1)(b) of the Administration Act (income support); or

(ii) section 159A(1)(b) of that Act (jobseeker´s allowance).

Increases in income support due to attainment of particular ages

7 A decision as to the amount of benefit to which a person is entitled, where it appears to the Secretary of State that the amount is determined by the recipient´s entitlement to an increased amount of income support or income-based jobseeker´s allowance in the circumstances referred to in section 160(2) or 160A(2) of the Administration Act.

Reduction in accordance with reduced benefit direction

8 A decision to reduce the amount of a person´s benefit in accordance with a reduced benefit direction (within the meaning of section 46 of the Child Support Act).

Power to prescribe other decisions

9 Such other decisions as may be prescribed.

Section 12(1).

SCHEDULE 3 Decisions against which an appeal lies

Part I Benefit decisions

Entitlement to benefit without a claim

1 In such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, a decision whether a person is entitled to a relevant benefit for which no claim is required.

2 If so, a decision as to the amount to which he is entitled.

Payability of benefit

3 A decision whether a relevant benefit (or a component of a relevant benefit) to which a person is entitled is not payable by reason of–

(a) any provision of the Contributions and Benefits Act by which the person is disqualified for receiving benefit;

(b) regulations made under section 72(8) of that Act (disability living allowance);

(c) regulations made under section 113(2) of that Act (suspension of payment); or

(d) section 19 of the Jobseekers Act (jobseeker´s allowance).

Payments to third parties

4 Except in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, a decision whether the whole or part of a benefit to which a person is entitled is, by virtue of regulations, to be paid to a person other than him.

Recovery of benefits

5 A decision whether payment is recoverable under section 71 or 71A of the Administration Act.

6 If so, a decision as to the amount of payment recoverable.

Industrial injuries benefit

7 A decision whether an accident was an industrial accident for the purposes of industrial injuries benefit.

Jobseekers' agreements

8 A decision in relation to a jobseeker´s agreement as proposed to be made under section 9 of the Jobseekers Act, or as proposed to be varied under section 10 of that Act.

Power to prescribe other decisions

9 Such other decisions relating to a relevant benefit as may be prescribed.

Part II Contributions decisions

Categorisation of earners

10 A decision whether a person is an earner.

11 If so, a decision as to the category of earners in which the person is to be included.

Compulsory contributions

12 A decision whether a person is liable to pay contributions of any particular class.

13 If so, a decision as to the amount that the person is liable to pay.

Voluntary contributions

14 A decision whether a person is entitled to pay contributions of any particular class that he is not liable to pay.

15 If so, a decision as to the amount that the person is entitled to pay.

Responsibilities at home

16 A decision whether a person was (within the meaning of regulations) precluded from regular employment by responsibilities at home.

Earnings and contributions credits

17 A decision whether a person is entitled to be credited with earnings or contributions in accordance with regulations made under section 22(5) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

Statutory sick pay

18 A decision whether an employer is entitled to make any deduction from his contributions payments in accordance with an order under section 159A of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

19 If so, a decision as to the amount that he is entitled to deduct.

Statutory maternity pay

20 A decision whether an employer is entitled to make any deduction from his contributions payments in accordance with regulations under section 167 of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

21 If so, a decision as to the amount that he is entitled to deduct.

Liability of directors etc. for company´s contributions

22 Subject to the provisions of section 121D of the Administration Act, a decision as to the issue and content of a notice under section 121C(2) of that Act.

Preserved rights to benefit etc.

23 A decision falling to be made by virtue of regulations under paragraph 15 of Schedule 3 to the [1992 c. 6.] Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992.

Employment of long-term unemployed

24 A decision falling to be made under section 27 of the Jobseekers Act.

Interest and penalties

25 A decision whether a person is liable to pay interest under paragraph 7B(2)(e) or (i) of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act.

26 A decision whether a person is liable to a penalty under–

(a) paragraph 7A(2) or 7B(2)(h) of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act; or

(b) section 113(1)(a) or 114A(1) of the Administration Act.

27 A decision whether to charge any interest or penalty under paragraph 7C(1) of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act.

28 A decision as to the amount of interest or penalty payable under any of the provisions mentioned in paragraphs 25 to 27 above, except in so far as the decision relates to the exercise of the discretion under–

(a) paragraph 7A(3)(e) or 7B(5)(e) of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act; or

(b) section 113(2)(e) or 114A(3)(e) of the Administration Act.

Power to prescribe other decisions

29 Such other decisions relating to contributions as may be prescribed.

Section 14(12).

SCHEDULE 4 Social Security Commissioners

Appointment

1 (1) Her Majesty may from time to time appoint, from among persons who have a 10 year general qualification or advocates or solicitors in Scotland of at least 10 years' standing–

(a) a Chief Social Security Commissioner; and

(b) such number of other Social Security Commissioners as Her Majesty thinks fit.

(2) If the Lord Chancellor considers that, in order to facilitate the disposal of the business of Social Security Commissioners, he should make an appointment in pursuance of this sub-paragraph, he may appoint–

(a) a person who has a 10 year general qualification; or

(b) an advocate or solicitor in Scotland of at least 10 years' standing; or

(c) a member of the bar of Northern Ireland or solicitor of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland of at least 10 years' standing,

to be a Social Security Commissioner (but to be known as a deputy Commissioner) for such period or on such occasions as the Lord Chancellor thinks fit.

(3) In this paragraph "10 year general qualification" shall be construed in accordance with section 71 of the [1990 c. 41.] Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

Remuneration etc.

2 The Lord Chancellor shall pay to a Commissioner such salary or other remuneration, and such expenses incurred in connection with the work of a Commissioner or any tribunal presided over by a Commissioner, as he may determine.

3 (1) The Lord Chancellor or, in Scotland, the Secretary of State may pay to any person who attends any proceedings under section 14 of this Act such travelling and other allowances as he may determine.

(2) In this paragraph the reference to travelling and other allowances includes a reference to compensation for loss of remunerative time.

Tenure of office

4 (1) Commissioners shall vacate their offices on the day on which they attain the age of 70, but subject to section 26(4) to (6) of the [1993 c. 8.] Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (power to authorise continuance in office up to the age of 75).

(2) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) above or in section 13 or 32 of the [1981 c. 20.] Judicial Pensions Act 1981 (which relate to pensions for Commissioners) shall apply to a person by virtue of his appointment in pursuance of paragraph 1(2) above.

5 (1) A Commissioner may be removed from office by the Lord Chancellor on the ground of incapacity or misbehaviour.

(2) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) above applies to a Commissioner appointed before 23rd May 1980.

Delegation of functions

6 The Lord Chancellor may by regulations provide–

(a) for officers authorised by the Lord Chancellor or, in Scotland, by the Secretary of State to make any determinations which fall to be made by Commissioners;

(b) for the procedure to be followed by such officers in making such determinations;

(c) for the manner in which such determinations by such officers may be called in question.

Certificates

7 A document bearing a certificate which–

(a) is signed by a person authorised in that behalf by the Secretary of State; and

(b) states that the document, apart from the certificate, is a record of a decision of a Commissioner,

shall be conclusive evidence of the decision; and a certificate purporting to be so signed shall be deemed to be so signed unless the contrary is proved.

Supplemental

8 Where the Lord Chancellor proposes to exercise a power conferred on him by paragraph 1(2), 5(1) or 6 above, it shall be his duty to consult the Lord Advocate with respect to the proposal.

Section 16(1).

SCHEDULE 5 Regulations as to procedure: provision which may be made

1 Provision prescribing the procedure to be followed in connection with–

(a) the making of decisions or determinations by the Secretary of State, an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner; and

(b) the withdrawal of claims, applications, appeals or references falling to be decided or determined by the Secretary of State, an appeal tribunal or a Commissioner.

2 Provision as to the striking out or reinstatement of proceedings.

3 Provision as to the form which is to be used for any document, the evidence which is to be required and the circumstances in which any official record or certificate is to be sufficient or conclusive evidence.

4 Provision as to the time within which, or the manner in which–

(a) any evidence is to be produced; or

(b) any application, reference or appeal is to be made.

5 Provision for summoning persons to attend and give evidence or produce documents and for authorising the administration of oaths to witnesses.

6 Provision with respect to the procedure to be followed on appeals to and in other proceedings before appeal tribunals.

7 Provision for authorising an appeal tribunal consisting of two or more members to proceed with any case, with the consent of the claimant, in the absence of any member.

8 Provision for empowering an appeal tribunal to give directions for the disposal of any purported appeal which the tribunal is satisfied that it does not have jurisdiction to entertain.

9 Provision for the non-disclosure to a person of the particulars of any medical advice or medical evidence given or submitted for the purposes of a determination.

Section 83.

SCHEDULE 6 Transitory provisions

Constitution of appeal tribunals

1 In relation to any time before the commencement of section 7 of this Act so far as it relates to appeals under section 12 of this Act, section 41 of the Administration Act (constitution of social security appeal tribunals) shall have effect as if–

(a) in subsection (1), for the words "and two other persons" there were substituted the words "sitting either alone or with one or two other persons";

(b) in subsection (2), for the words "The members other than the chairman" there were substituted the words "Any members other than the chairman"; and

(c) for subsection (6) there were substituted the following subsection–

"(6) Where the appeal tribunal hearing a case consists of more than one member it shall, if practicable, include at least one member who is of the same sex as the claimant."

Claims no longer subsisting after decisions made

2 In relation to any time before the commencement of section 8(2) of this Act, section 21 of the Administration Act (decision of adjudication officer) shall have effect as if after subsection (6) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(7) Where at any time a claim for a benefit to which section 20 above applies is decided by an adjudication officer or by a social security appeal tribunal on a reference by such an officer–

(a) the claim shall not be regarded as subsisting after that time; and

(b) accordingly, the claimant shall not (without making a further claim) be entitled to the benefit on the basis of circumstances not obtaining at that time."

Appeals to tribunals

3 (1) In relation to appeals brought after the passing of this Act and any time before the commencement of section 12(8)(b) of this Act, section 22 of the Administration Act (appeal to social security appeal tribunal) shall have effect as if after subsection (7) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(8) In deciding an appeal under this section, a social security appeal tribunal shall not take into account any circumstances not obtaining at the time when the decision appealed against was made."

(2) In relation to such appeals and any such time, section 33 of that Act (appeals following reviews) shall have effect as if after subsection (6) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(7) The tribunal shall not take into account any circumstances not obtaining at the time when the decision appealed against was made."

Appeals to Commissioners

4 (1) In relation to any time before the commencement of section 14(7) of this Act, section 23 of the Administration Act (appeal from social security appeal tribunal to Commissioner) shall have effect as if–

(a) after subsection (6) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(6A) If each of the principal parties to the appeal expresses the view that the decision appealed against was erroneous in point of law, the Commissioner may set aside the decision and refer the case to a tribunal with directions for its determination.

In this subsection "principal parties" means–

(a) in a case relating to statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay, the persons mentioned in subsection (2)(a), (b) and (c) above;

(b) in any other case–

(i) the persons mentioned in subsection (3)(a) and (b) above; and

(ii) where applicable, the person mentioned in subsection (3)(d) and such a person as is first mentioned in subsection (4) of that section."; and

(b) in subsection (8), for the words "subsection (7)(b) above" there were substituted the words "subsection (6A) or (7)(b) above".

(2) In relation to any such time, section 34 of that Act (appeal from social security appeal tribunals or disability appeal tribunals to Commissioners etc.) shall have effect as if, in subsection (4), for the words "(7) to (10) of section 23" there were substituted the words "(6A) to (10) of section 23".

(3) In relation to any such time, section 48 of that Act (appeal etc. on question of law to Commissioner) shall have effect as if–

(a) after subsection (4) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(4A) If each of the principal parties to the appeal expresses the view that the decision appealed against was erroneous in point of law, the Commissioner may set aside the decision and refer the case to a medical appeal tribunal with directions for its determination.

In this subsection "principal parties" means the persons mentioned in subsection (1)(a), (b) and (d) above."; and

(b) in subsection (6), for the words "subsection (5) above" there were substituted the words "subsection (4A) or (5) above".

Suspension of benefit in prescribed circumstances

5 (1) In relation to any time before the commencement of section 21(2)(d) of this Act, section 5(1) of the Administration Act (regulations about claims for and payments of benefits) shall have effect as if after paragraph (n) there were inserted the following paragraph–

"(nn) for suspending payment, in whole or in part, where an appeal is pending against the decision given in a different case by a social security appeal tribunal, a Commissioner or a court, and it appears to the Secretary of State that if the appeal were to be determined in a particular way an issue would arise whether the award in the case itself ought to be revised;".

(2) In relation to any such time, paragraph 10(2) of Schedule 1 to the Jobseekers Act (supplementary provisions) shall have effect as if for the words "section 5(1)(n)" there were substituted the words "section 5(1)(n) or (nn)".

Restrictions on entitlement in certain cases of error

6 In relation to applications under section 26(1) or 30 of the Administration Act made after the passing of this Act and any time before the commencement of section 27 above, section 69 of that Act shall have effect as if after subsection (1) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(1A) Where the review under section 25(2) or 30 above was carried out on an application under section 26(1) or (as the case may be) section 30, it is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (1) above whether the application was made before or after the date of the relevant determination."

Reviews of social fund determinations

7 In relation to any time before the commencement of section 38 of this Act, section 66 of the Administration Act (reviews) shall have effect as if–

(a) after paragraph (a) of subsection (1) there were inserted the following paragraph–

"(aa) may review such a determination on the ground that the person who applied for the payment to which the determination relates misrepresented, or failed to disclose, any material fact; and";

(b) after subsection (5) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(5A) In making a determination on a review a social fund officer or a social fund inspector need not consider–

(a) in the case of a determination on a review under subsection (1)(a) above, any issue that is not raised by the application;

(b) in the case of a determination on a review under subsection (1)(aa) above, any issue that is not raised by the material fact;

(c) in the case of a determination on a review under subsection (1)(b) above, any issue that did not cause him to carry out the review.";

(c) for subsection (6) there were substituted the following subsection–

"(6) In determining a question on a review under subsection (1)(a) or (b) above a social fund officer or social fund inspector shall, subject to subsection (7) below, have regard to whichever of the following are applicable, namely–

(a) all the circumstances of the case and, in particular, the criteria specified in paragraphs (a) to (e) of subsection (1) of section 140 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;

(b) the criteria mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1A) of that section; and

(c) the criterion specified in directions issued by the Secretary of State under that subsection and the criteria mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection.";

(d) in subsection (7) of that section, after the word "review" there were inserted the words "under subsection (1)(a) or (b) above";

(e) after that subsection there were inserted the following subsections–

"(7A) In making a determination on a review under subsection (1)(aa) above a social fund officer or a social fund inspector shall–

(a) act in accordance with any general directions issued by the Secretary of State; and

(b) take account of any general guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

(7B) Any reference in subsection (5A), (6), (7) or (7A) above to a determination on a review under a particular provision of subsection (1) above shall be construed, in relation to a social fund inspector, as a reference to a determination on a further review of a determination which has been reviewed under that provision.";

(f) in subsection (9), for the words "this section", in the first place where they occur, there were substituted the words "subsection (1)(a) or (b) above"; and

(g) in subsection (10), after the word "determination", in the first place where it occurs, there were inserted the words "which has been reviewed under subsection (1)(a) or (b) above".

Overpayments out of social fund

8 In relation to any time before the commencement of sections 9, 10 and 38 of this Act, section 71ZA of the Administration Act (overpayments out of social fund) shall have effect as if for subsection (2) there were substituted the following subsection–

"(2) Section 71 above as it so applies shall have effect as if the following provisions were omitted, namely–

(a) in paragraph (a) of subsection (5) and subsection (5A), the words "reversed or varied on an appeal or";

(b) in paragraph (b) of subsection (5), the words "appeal or"; and

(c) subsections (7), (10A) and (10B)."

Child support: appeals to tribunals

9 In relation to appeals brought after the passing of this Act and any time before the commencement of section 42 of this Act, section 20 of the Child Support Act (appeals) shall have effect as if after subsection (4) there were inserted the following subsection–

"(5) In deciding an appeal under this section, the tribunal shall not take into account any circumstances not obtaining at the time when the decision appealed against was made."

Section 86(1).

SCHEDULE 7 Minor and consequential amendments

Army Act 1955 (c. 18)

1 In section 150A(3) of the Army Act 1955 (enforcement of maintenance assessment by deductions from pay), for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

Air Force Act 1955 (c. 19)

2 In section 150A(3) of the Air Force Act 1955 (enforcement of maintenance assessment by deductions from pay), for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13)

3 (1) In subsection (8) of section 5 of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (matters subject to investigation), for the words "listed in Schedule 4 to this Act" there shall be substituted the words "constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

(2) In Schedule 4 to that Act (relevant tribunals for the purposes of section 5(7)) the following entries shall cease to have effect, namely–

"Tribunals constituted in Great Britain under regulations made under section 4 of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979";

"Child support appeal tribunals constituted under section 21 of the Child Support Act 1991";

"Social security appeal tribunals constituted under section 41 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992";

"Disability appeal tribunals constituted under section 43 of that Act"; and

"Medical appeal tribunals constituted under section 50 of that Act".

House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24)

4 (1) In Part III of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (other disqualifying offices), in the entry relating to an adjudicating medical practitioner or specially qualified adjudicating medical practitioner, the words "Part II of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 or" shall cease to have effect.

(2) In that Part of that Schedule, the following entries shall cease to have effect, namely–

"Regional or other full-time chairman of a child support appeal tribunal established under section 21 of the Child Support Act 1991";

"A regional or other full-time Chairman of Social Security Appeal Tribunals, Medical Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal Tribunals";

"Chief Adjudication Officer appointed under section 39 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992";

"Chief Child Support Officer appointed under section 13(3) of the Child Support Act 1991";

"Member of a Medical Appeal Tribunal appointed under section 50 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992";

"Member of a panel appointed under section 6 of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 of persons to act as chairmen of Child Support Appeal Tribunals";

"Member of a panel appointed under section 6 of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 of persons to act as chairmen of Social Security Appeal Tribunals, Medical Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal Tribunals";

"Member of a panel of persons who may be appointed to serve on a Vaccine Damage Tribunal"; and

"President of Social Security Appeal Tribunals, Medical Appeal Tribunals and Disability Appeal Tribunals".

(3) In that Part of that Schedule there shall be inserted at the appropriate places the following entries–

"Member of a panel of persons appointed under section 6 of the Social Security Act 1998";

"President of appeal tribunals (within the meaning of Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998) appointed under section 5 of that Act".

Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 (c. 17)

5 In subsection (4) of section 3 of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act (determination of claims), for the words from "that, if an application" to the end there shall be substituted the words "of the right of appeal conferred by section 4 below".

6 In section 5 of that Act (reconsideration of determinations and recovery of payments in certain cases), subsections (1) to (3) and (5) shall cease to have effect.

7 (1) In subsection (3) of section 7 of that Act (payments, claims etc. made prior to Act)–

(a) for the words "section 5 above", in the first place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "section 3A above"; and

(b) the words from "and in relation to" to the end shall cease to have effect.

(2) In subsection (4) of that section, for the words "Subsections (4) and (5) of section 5 above" there shall be substituted the words "Section 5(4) above".

8 After section 7A of that Act there shall be inserted the following section–

"7B Finality of decisions

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, any decision made in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Act shall be final.

(2) If and to the extent that regulations so provide, any finding of fact or other determination embodied in or necessary to such a decision, or on which such a decision is based, shall be conclusive for the purposes of–

(a) further such decisions;

(b) decisions made in accordance with sections 8 to 16 of the Social Security Act 1998, or with regulations under section 11 of that Act; and

(c) decisions made under the [1991 c. 48.] Child Support Act 1991."

9 In subsection (3) of section 8 of that Act (regulations)–

(a) for the words "a reconsideration under section 5 above", in both places where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "a decision under section 3A above"; and

(b) for the words "the tribunals constituted under section 4 above" there shall be substituted the words "appeal tribunals".

10 In section 12 of that Act (financial provisions), subsection (1) shall cease to have effect.

Forfeiture Act 1982 (c. 34)

11 (1) In subsection (2)(b) of section 4 of the Forfeiture Act 1982 (Commissioner to decide whether rule applies to social security benefits), for the words "section 59 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "section 16 of the Social Security Act 1998".

(2) In subsection (5) of that section, in the definition of "Commissioner", for the words "Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 18)

12 In subsection (5)(f) of section 1 (competence of time to pay direction) and subsection (4)(f) of section 5 (competence of time to pay order) of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987–

(a) the word "; or" after sub-paragraph (ii) shall cease to have effect; and

(b) after sub-paragraph (iii) there shall be inserted the words "or

(iv) any amount by way of contributions, or by way of interest or penalty in respect of contributions, certified under section 118(1) of the [1992 c. 5.] Social Security Administration Act 1992 as liable to be paid to the Secretary of State."

13 In section 106 of that Act (interpretation), in the definition of "summary warrant", after paragraph (c) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(cc) section 121B of the Social Security Administration Act 1992;".

14 In paragraph 35 of Schedule 5 to that Act (interpretation), in the definition of "creditor", after paragraph (d) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(dd) for the purposes of section 121B of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, the Secretary of State;".

Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 47)

15 In paragraph 7A of Schedule 2 to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 (recovery of outstanding community charge by deductions from income support or jobseeker´s allowance), for the words "appeals and reviews" in sub-paragraph (2)(a) there shall be substituted the words "appeals to appeal tribunals constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 and decisions under section 9 or 10 of that Act".

Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (c. 1)

16 In subsection (3) of section 172 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (exceptions from tax)–

(a) for the words "Class 1 contributions" there shall be substituted the words "secondary Class 1 contributions"; and

(b) for the words "lower earnings limit" there shall be substituted the words "earnings threshold".

Local Government Finance Act 1988 (c. 41)

17 In sub-paragraph (2)(a) of paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (recovery of outstanding community charge by deductions from income support or jobseeker´s allowance), for the words "appeals and reviews" there shall be substituted the words "appeals to appeal tribunals constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 and decisions under section 9 or 10 of that Act".

Child Support Act 1991 (c. 48)

18 In section 2 of the Child Support Act (welfare of children: the general principle), the words "or any child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

19 In subsection (4) of section 4 of that Act (child support maintenance), the words "or the child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

20 In subsection (9) of section 6 of that Act (applications by those receiving benefit), the words "or the child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

21 In subsection (5) of section 7 of that Act (right of child in Scotland to apply for assessment), the words "or the child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

22 In subsections (1) and (2) of section 8 of that Act (role of courts with respect to maintenance for children), for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

23 (1) In subsection (4) of section 10 of that Act (relationship between maintenance assessments and certain court orders)–

(a) for the words "the child support officer concerned" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State"; and

(b) for the words "that officer" there shall be substituted the word "he".

(2) In subsection (5) of that section, for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "an officer of the Secretary of State".

24 (1) In subsection (1) of section 11 of that Act (maintenance assessments), for the words "referred by him to a child support officer whose duty it shall be to deal with the application" there shall be substituted the words "dealt with by him".

(2) In subsection (1A) of that section, for the words "before referring the application to a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "before determining the application".

25 (1) For subsections (1) and (1A) of section 12 of that Act (interim maintenance assessments) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) Where the Secretary of State–

(a) is required to make a maintenance assessment; or

(b) is proposing to make a decision under section 16 or 17,

and (in either case) it appears to him that he does not have sufficient information to enable him to do so, he may make an interim maintenance assessment."

(2) In subsections (4) and (5) of that section, for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

26 Section 13 of that Act (child support officers) shall cease to have effect.

27 In section 14 of that Act (information required by Secretary of State)–

(a) subsections (2) and (2A) shall cease to have effect; and

(b) in subsection (3), the words "or by child support officers" shall cease to have effect and for the word "them" there shall be substituted the word "him".

28 In subsection (1) of section 15 of that Act (powers of inspectors), the words "or any child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

29 In subsection (4)(a) of section 22 of that Act (Child Support Commissioners), for the words "section 21(3)" there shall be substituted the words "Schedule 5 to the Social Security Act 1998".

30 (1) In subsection (1) of section 24 of that Act (appeal to Child Support Commissioner), for the words "a child support appeal tribunal, and any child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal, and the Secretary of State".

(2) Subsection (1A) of that section shall cease to have effect.

(3) In subsection (3) of that section–

(a) for the words "the child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "the appeal tribunal";

(b) for the words "a child support appeal tribunal", in both places where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal"; and

(c) for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(4) For subsection (4) of that section there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(4) The reference under subsection (3) to the Secretary of State shall, subject to any direction of the Child Support Commissioner, be to an officer of his, or a person providing him with services, who has taken no part in the decision originally appealed against."

(5) In subsection (5) of that section, for the words "a child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal".

(6) In subsection (6) of that section–

(a) for the words "who was the chairman of the child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "who constituted, or was the chairman of, the appeal tribunal"; and

(b) for the words "such other chairman of a child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "such other person".

(7) In subsection (8) of that section, for the words "a child support officer", in both places where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

31 (1) In subsection (1) of section 26 of that Act (disputes about parentage), for the words "the child support officer concerned" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(2) In subsection (2) of that section, in Case E, for the words "the child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

32 In subsection (1) of section 27 of that Act (reference to court for declaration of parentage), for the words "a child support officer to whom the case is referred" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

33 In subsection (1) of section 28 of that Act (power of Secretary of State to initiate or defend actions of declarator: Scotland), for the words "a child support officer to whom the case is referred" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

34 For subsection (4) of section 28A of that Act (application for departure direction) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(4) An application may be made under this section even though an application has been made under section 16(1) or 17(1) with respect to the current assessment."

35 (1) In section 28B of that Act (preliminary consideration of applications), subsections (4) and (5) shall cease to have effect.

(2) For subsection (6) of that section there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(6) Where a decision as to a maintenance assessment is revised or superseded under section 16 or 17, the Secretary of State–

(a) shall notify the applicant and such other persons as may be prescribed that the decision has been revised or superseded; and

(b) may direct that the application is to lapse unless, before the end of such period as may be prescribed, the applicant notifies the Secretary of State that he wishes it to stand."

36 In subsections (1) and (3) of section 28D of that Act (determination of applications), for the words "a child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal".

37 In subsection (6) of section 28F of that Act (departure directions), for the words "a child support officer to make" there shall be substituted the words "the making of".

38 Subsection (1) of section 28G of that Act (effect and duration of departure directions) shall cease to have effect.

39 For section 28H of that Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"28H Departure directions: decisions and appeals

Schedule 4C shall have effect for applying sections 16, 17, 20 and 28ZA to 28ZC to decisions with respect to departure directions."

40 After subsection (2) of section 43 of that Act (contribution to maintenance by deduction from benefit) there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(3) Schedule 4C shall have effect for applying sections 16, 17, 20 and 28ZA to 28ZC to any decision with respect to a person´s liability under this section, that is to say, his liability to make payments under regulations made by virtue of this section."

41 In subsection (1) of section 44 of that Act (jurisdiction), for the words "A child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "The Secretary of State".

42 (1) In subsection (1) of section 45 of that Act (jurisdiction of courts in certain proceedings under this Act), for the words "a child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal".

(2) In subsection (6) of that section, for the words "child support appeal tribunals" there shall be substituted the words "appeal tribunals".

43 (1) In subsection (2) of section 46 of that Act (failure to comply with obligations imposed by section 6), for the words "A child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "The Secretary of State".

(2) In subsections (3) to (6) of that section, for the words "the child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(3) For subsections (7) and (8) of that section there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(7) Schedule 4C shall have effect for applying sections 16, 17, 20 and 28ZA to 28ZC to decisions with respect to reduced benefit directions."

(4) In subsection (11) of that section, in the definition of "reduced benefit direction", the words ", binding on the adjudication officer," shall cease to have effect.

44 After that section there shall be inserted the following sections–

"46A Finality of decisions

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, any decision of the Secretary of State or an appeal tribunal made in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Act shall be final.

(2) If and to the extent that regulations so provide, any finding of fact or other determination embodied in or necessary to such a decision, or on which such a decision is based, shall be conclusive for the purposes of–

(a) further such decisions;

(b) decisions made in accordance with sections 8 to 16 of the Social Security Act 1998, or with regulations under section 11 of that Act; and

(c) decisions made under the [1979 c. 17.] Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979.

46B Matters arising as respects decisions

(1) Regulations may make provision as respects matters arising pending–

(a) any decision of the Secretary of State under section 11, 12 or 17;

(b) any decision of an appeal tribunal under section 20; or

(c) any decision of a Child Support Commissioner under section 24.

(2) Regulations may also make provision as respects matters arising out of the revision under section 16, or on appeal, of any such decision as is mentioned in subsection (1).

(3) Any reference in this section to section 16, 17 or 20 includes a reference to that section as extended by Schedule 4C."

45 In subsection (5) of section 50 of that Act (unauthorised disclosure of information), in paragraph (c), after the words "other officer of," there shall be inserted the words "an appeal tribunal or".

46 In subsection (2) of section 51 of that Act (supplementary powers to make regulations)–

(a) in paragraph (a), for sub-paragraph (iii) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(iii) the making of decisions under section 16 or 17;"; and

(b) in paragraph (b), for the words "section 18 or 19" there shall be substituted the words "Schedule 4C".

47 In section 54 of that Act (interpretation)–

(a) the following definition shall be inserted in the appropriate place–

""appeal tribunal" means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998;";

(b) the definitions of "adjudication officer", "Chief Adjudication Officer", "Chief Child Support Officer", "child support appeal tribunal" and "child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

48 (1) In paragraph 8 of Schedule 1 to that Act (housing costs), for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(2) In paragraph 9 of that Schedule (regulations about income and capital), for the words "the child support officer concerned" and the words "the child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(3) In paragraph 13 of that Schedule (assessments where amount of child support is nil), for the words "A child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "The Secretary of State".

(4) In paragraph 15 of that Schedule (separate assessments for different periods), for the words "a child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(5) In paragraph 16 of that Schedule (termination of assessments)–

(a) in sub-paragraphs (2) to (6) and (8), for the words "a child support officer", in each place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State";

(b) in sub-paragraph (4A), for the words "conducting a review under section 16, 17, 18 or 19" there shall be substituted the words "proposing to make a decision under section 16 or 17" and for the words "complete the review" there shall be substituted the words "make the decision";

(c) in sub-paragraph (7), for the words "the child support officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State"; and

(d) in sub-paragraph (10), the words "or a child support officer" shall cease to have effect.

49 Paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to that Act (local authority records) shall cease to have effect.

50 Schedule 3 to that Act (child support appeal tribunals) shall cease to have effect.

51 In paragraph 2A of Schedule 4 to that Act (Child Support Commissioners), for sub-paragraph (1) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(1) The Lord Chancellor or, in Scotland, the Secretary of State may pay to any person who attends any proceedings before a Child Support Commissioner such travelling and other allowances as he may determine."

52 (1) In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to that Act (Child Support Commissioners)–

(a) for the words "that an appeal" there shall be substituted the words "that–

(a) an application for leave under section 24(6)(b); or

(b) an appeal,";

(b) for the words "that the appeal" there shall be substituted the words "that the application or appeal"; and

(c) after the words "any three" there shall be inserted the words "or more".

(2) At the end of sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph there shall be inserted the words "; and the presiding Child Support Commissioner shall have a casting vote if the votes are equally divided".

(3) After that sub-paragraph there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph–

"(3) Where a direction is given under sub-paragraph (1)(a), section 24(6)(b) shall have effect as if the reference to a Child Support Commissioner were a reference to such a tribunal as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)."

(4) For paragraph 6(2) of that Schedule there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(2) If and to the extent that regulations so provide, any finding of fact or other determination which is embodied in or necessary to a decision, or on which a decision is based, shall be conclusive for the purposes of any further decision."

53 (1) In paragraph 1 of Schedule 4A to that Act (interpretation), the definition of "review" shall cease to have effect.

(2) In paragraph 2 of that Schedule (applications for departure directions)–

(a) in sub-paragraph (b), for the words "a child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal"; and

(b) in sub-paragraph (c), for the words "a departure application and a review are to be dealt with" there shall be substituted the words "a decision on a departure application and a decision under section 16 or 17 are to be made".

(3) In paragraph 4(1) of that Schedule (information), the words "a child support officer or" shall cease to have effect.

(4) Paragraph 6 of that Schedule (reviews and departure directions) shall cease to have effect.

(5) In paragraph 8 of that Schedule (joint consideration of departure applications and appeals), for the words "A child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "An appeal tribunal".

(6) In paragraph 9 of that Schedule (child support appeal tribunals)–

(a) in the heading, for the words "Child support appeal tribunals" there shall be substituted the words "Appeal tribunals"; and

(b) in sub-paragraph (1), for the words "a child support appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal".

54 After Schedule 4B to that Act there shall be inserted the following Schedule–

Section 83.

"SCHEDULE 4C Decisions and Appeals: Departure Directions and Reduced Benefit Directions etc.

Revision of decisions

1 Section 16 shall apply in relation to–

(a) any decision of the Secretary of State with respect to a departure direction, a reduced benefit direction or a person´s liability under section 43;

(b) any decision of the Secretary of State under section 17 as extended by paragraph 2; and

(c) any decision of an appeal tribunal on a referral under section 28D(1)(b),

as it applies in relation to any decision of the Secretary of State under section 11, 12 or 17.

Decisions superseding earlier decisions

2 (1) Section 17 shall apply in relation to–

(a) any decision of the Secretary of State with respect to a departure direction, a reduced benefit direction or a person´s liability under section 43;

(b) any decision of the Secretary of State under section 17 as extended by this sub-paragraph; and

(c) any decision of an appeal tribunal on a referral under section 28D(1)(b),

whether as originally made or as revised under section 16 as extended by paragraph 1, as it applies in relation to any decision of the Secretary of State under section 11, 12 or 17, whether as originally made or as revised under section 16.

(2) Section 17 shall apply in relation to any decision of an appeal tribunal under section 20 as extended by paragraph 3 as it applies in relation to any decision of an appeal tribunal under section 20.

Appeals to appeal tribunals

3 (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), section 20 shall apply–

(a) in relation to a qualifying person who is aggrieved by any decision of the Secretary of State with respect to a departure direction; and

(b) in relation to any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Secretary of State–

(i) with respect to a reduced benefit direction; or

(ii) with respect to a person´s liability under section 43,

as it applies in relation to a person whose application for a maintenance assessment is refused or to such a person as is mentioned in subsection (2) of section 20.

(2) On an appeal under section 20 as extended by sub-paragraph (1)(a), the appeal tribunal shall–

(a) consider the matter–

(i) as if it were exercising the powers of the Secretary of State in relation to the application in question; and

(ii) as if it were subject to the duties imposed on him in relation to that application;

(b) have regard to any representations made to it by the Secretary of State; and

(c) confirm the decision or replace it with such decision as the tribunal considers appropriate.

(3) No appeal shall lie under section 20 as extended by sub-paragraph (1)(b)(i) unless the amount of the person´s benefit is reduced in accordance with the reduced benefit direction; and the time within which such an appeal may be brought shall run from the date of the notification of the reduction.

(4) In sub-paragraph (1) "qualifying person" means–

(a) the person with care, or absent parent, with respect to whom the current assessment was made; or

(b) where the application for the current assessment was made under section 7, either of those persons or the child concerned.

Decisions and appeals dependent on other cases

4 (1) Section 28ZA shall also apply where–

(a) a decision falls to be made–

(i) with respect to a departure direction, a reduced benefit direction or a person´s liability under section 43, by the Secretary of State; or

(ii) with respect to a departure direction, by an appeal tribunal on a referral under section 28D(1)(b); and

(b) an appeal is pending against a decision given with respect to a different direction by a Child Support Commissioner or a court.

(2) Section 28ZA as it applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) shall have effect as if the reference in subsection (3) to section 16 were a reference to that section as extended by paragraph 1.

(3) Section 28ZA as it applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(a)(ii) shall have effect as if–

(a) in subsection (2)–

(i) for the words "the Secretary of State" there were substituted the words "the appeal tribunal"; and

(ii) for the word "he", in both places where it occurs, there were substituted the word "it"; and

(b) in subsection (3)–

(i) for the words "the Secretary of State" there were substituted the words "the appeal tribunal";

(ii) for the word "he" there were substituted the words "the Secretary of State"; and

(iii) for the word "his" there were substituted the words "the tribunal's".

5 (1) Section 28ZB shall also apply where–

(a) an appeal is made to an appeal tribunal under section 20 as extended by paragraph 3; and

(b) an appeal is pending against a decision given in a different case by a Child Support Commissioner or a court.

(2) Section 28ZB as it applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) shall have effect as if any reference to section 16 or section 17 were a reference to that section as extended by paragraph 1 or, as the case may be, paragraph 2.

Cases of error

6 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, section 28ZC shall also apply where–

(a) the effect of the determination, whenever made, of an appeal to a Child Support Commissioner or the court ("the relevant determination") is that the adjudicating authority´s decision out of which the appeal arose was erroneous in point of law; and

(b) after the date of the relevant determination a decision falls to be made by the Secretary of State in accordance with that determination (or would, apart from this paragraph, fall to be so made)–

(i) in relation to an application for a departure direction (made after the commencement date);

(ii) as to whether to revise, under section 16 as extended by paragraph 1, a decision (made after the commencement date) in relation to a departure direction, a reduced benefit direction or a person´s liability under section 43; or

(iii) on an application made under section 17 as extended by paragraph 2 before the date of the relevant determination (but after the commencement date) for a decision in relation to a departure direction, a reduced benefit direction or a person´s liability under section 43 to be superseded.

(2) Section 28ZC shall not apply where the decision of the Secretary of State mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) above–

(a) is one which, but for section 28ZA(2)(a) as it applies by virtue of paragraph 4(1), would have been made before the date of the relevant determination; or

(b) is one made in pursuance of section 28ZB(3) or (5) as it applies by virtue of paragraph 5(1).

(3) Section 28ZC as it applies by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) shall have effect as if in subsection (4), in the definition of "adjudicating authority", at the end there were inserted the words "or, in the case of a decision made on a referral under section 28D(1)(b), an appeal tribunal".

(4) In this paragraph "adjudicating authority", "the commencement date" and "the court" have the same meanings as in section 28ZC."

Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53)

55 In subsection (2)(b) of section 24 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 (recovery of fines etc. by deductions from income support or jobseeker´s allowance), for the words "appeals and reviews" there shall be substituted the words "appeals to appeal tribunals constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 and decisions under section 9 or 10 of that Act".

Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4)

56 (1) In subsection (2) of section 1 of the Contributions and Benefits Act (outline of contributory system), for the word "five" there shall be substituted the word "six" and after paragraph (b) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(bb) Class 1B, payable under section 10A below by persons who are accountable to the Inland Revenue in respect of income tax on emoluments in accordance with a PAYE settlement agreement;".

(2) In subsection (4)(a) of that section after "1A," there shall be inserted "1B,".

(3) In subsection (6) of that section, after the words "Class 1A", in both places where they occur, there shall be inserted the words ", Class 1B".

57 After subsection (2) of section 6 of that Act (liability for Class 1 contributions) there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(2A) No primary or secondary Class 1 contribution shall be payable in respect of earnings if a Class 1B contribution is payable in respect of them."

58 (1) In subsection (5) of section 10 of that Act (Class 1A contributions), for the words from "for secondary" to "earnings bracket" there shall be substituted the words "specified as the secondary percentage in section 9(2) above".

(2) After subsection (8) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(8A) No Class 1A contribution shall be payable in respect of the making available of a car, or the provision of fuel, if a Class 1B contribution is payable in respect of it."

59 After subsection (3) of section 14 of that Act (restriction on right to pay Class 3 contributions) there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(4) Where primary Class 1 contributions have been paid or treated as paid on any part of a person´s earnings, subsection (1)(a) above shall have effect as if such contributions had been paid or treated as paid on so much of those earnings as did not exceed the upper earnings limit."

60 After subsection (5) of section 21 of that Act (contribution conditions) there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(5A) Where primary Class 1 contributions have been paid or treated as paid on any part of a person´s earnings, the following provisions, namely–

(a) subsection (5)(c) above;

(b) sections 22(1)(a) and (3)(a), 23(3)(a), 24(2)(a), 44(6)(a) and 45A(1)(a) below; and

(c) paragraphs 2(4)(a) and (5)(a), 4(2)(a), 5(2)(b) and (4)(a) and 7(4)(a) of Schedule 3 to this Act,

shall have effect as if such contributions had been paid or treated as paid on so much of the earnings as did not exceed the upper earnings limit."

61 In subsection (4) of section 22 of that Act (earnings factors), for the words "upon which" there shall be substituted the words "in respect of which".

62 In subsection (2) of section 54 of that Act (Category A and Category B retirement pensions: supplemental provisions), for the words "Part II of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

63 In subsection (5)(c) of section 95 of that Act (relevant employments), after the words "the Administration Act" there shall be inserted the words ", or Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998,".

64 In subsection (1)(b) of section 97 of that Act (accidents in the course of illegal employments), for the words "section 44 of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "section 29 of the Social Security Act 1998".

65 In subsection (2) of section 109 of that Act (general provisions relating to benefit under section 108)–

(a) in paragraph (a), for the words "or the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words ", the Administration Act or Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998";

(b) in paragraph (b), for the words "and that Act" there shall be substituted the words ", that Act and that Chapter";

(c) for the words "the Administration Act", in the second place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "that Act and that Chapter"; and

(d) after the words "section 1" there shall be inserted the words "of that Act".

66 In subsection (3) of section 113 of that Act (general provisions as to disqualification and suspension), for the words "or the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words ", the Administration Act or Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

67 In subsection (2) of section 116 of that Act (Her Majesty´s forces), for the words "provision of Part II of the Administration Act which replaces" there shall be substituted the words "provisions of Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 which correspond to".

68 In subsection (1) of section 117 of that Act (mariners, airmen etc.), for the words "provision of Part II of the Administration Act which replaces" there shall be substituted the words "provisions of Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 which correspond to".

69 In section 119 of that Act (persons outside Great Britain), for the words "provision of Part II of the Administration Act which replaces" there shall be substituted the words "provisions of Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 which correspond to".

70 In subsection (1) of section 120 of that Act (employment at sea: continental shelf operations), for the words "provision of Part II of the Administration Act which replaces" there shall be substituted the words "provisions of Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 which correspond to".

71 In subsection (1) of section 122 of that Act (interpretation of Parts I to VI and supplementary provisions)–

(a) in the definition of "entitled", for the words "and 68 of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "of the Administration Act and section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998";

(b) the definitions of "initial primary percentage" and "main primary percentage" shall cease to have effect;

(c) for the definitions of "lower earnings limit" and "upper earnings limit" there shall be substituted the following definitions–

""lower earnings limit", "upper earnings limit" and "earnings threshold" are to be construed in accordance with subsection (1) of section 5 above, and references to the lower or upper earnings limit, or to the earnings threshold, of a tax year are to whatever is (or was) for that year the limit or threshold in force under that subsection;";

(d) after the definition of "Old Cases payments" there shall be inserted the following definition–

""PAYE settlement agreement" has the same meaning as in section 206A of the [1988 c. 1.] Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988;"; and

(e) in the definition of "primary percentage", for the words "section 8(1) and (2)" there shall be substituted the words "section 8(2)".

72 (1) For subsection (1) of section 139 of that Act (awards by social fund officers) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) Whether a payment mentioned in section 138(1)(b) above is to be awarded, and how much it is to be, shall be determined by an appropriate officer, that is to say, an officer of the Secretary of State who, acting under his authority, is exercising functions of the Secretary of State in relation to payments so mentioned."

(2) In subsection (2) of that section, for the words "A social fund officer" there shall be substituted the words "An appropriate officer".

(3) Subsection (3) of that section shall cease to have effect.

(4) In subsection (4) of that section, for the words "that is to be repayable" there shall be substituted the words "of a crisis loan or a budgeting loan".

(5) In subsection (5) of that section, for the words "the social fund officer" there shall be substituted the words "the appropriate officer".

73 (1) In subsection (1) of section 140 of that Act (principles of determination), for the words "a social fund officer" there shall be substituted the words "an appropriate officer".

(2) In subsection (2) of that section, for the words "A social fund officer" there shall be substituted the words "An appropriate officer".

(3) In subsection (3) of that section, for the words "a social fund officer or group of social fund officers" there shall be substituted the words "an appropriate officer or group of appropriate officers".

(4) In subsection (4) of that section–

(a) for the words "a social fund officer", in each place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "an appropriate officer"; and

(b) for the words "social fund officers" there shall be substituted the words "appropriate officers".

(5) In subsection (5) of that section–

(a) for the words "a social fund officer" there shall be substituted the words "an appropriate officer"; and

(b) for the words "the social fund officer nominated for his area under section 64 of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "the appropriate officer nominated for his area under section 36 of the Social Security Act 1998".

74 In subsection (1) of section 163 of that Act (interpretation of Part XI), in the definition of "employer", after the words "but for" there shall be inserted the words "the condition in".

75 In subsection (1) of section 171 of that Act (interpretation of Part XII), in the definition of "employer", after the words "but for" there shall be inserted the words "the condition in".

76 In subsection (2) of section 171E of that Act (incapacity for work: disqualification etc.), for the words "Part II of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

77 (1) In the heading to Schedule 1 to that Act (supplementary provisions relating to contributions of Classes 1, 1A, 2 and 3), after "1A," there shall be inserted "1B,".

(2) For sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 1 of that Schedule there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(2) Where earnings in respect of employments which include any contracted-out employment and any employment which is not a contracted-out employment are aggregated under sub-paragraph (1) above, then, except as may be provided by regulations–

(a) if the aggregated earnings exceed the current lower earnings limit, the amount of the primary Class 1 contribution in respect of the aggregated earnings shall be determined in accordance with sub-paragraph (3) below; and

(b) if the aggregated earnings exceed the current earnings threshold, the amount of the secondary Class 1 contribution in respect of the aggregated earnings shall be determined in accordance with sub-paragraph (6) below."

(3) In sub-paragraph (3) of that paragraph, immediately before the words "does not exceed", in each place where they occur, there shall be inserted the words "exceeds the current lower earnings limit and".

(4) In sub-paragraph (6) of that paragraph–

(a) in paragraph (a), for the words "the APPS earnings" there shall be substituted the words "such part of the APPS earnings as exceeds the earnings threshold";

(b) in paragraphs (b) and (c), for the words "the part of the aggregated earnings attributable to such service" there shall be substituted the words "such part of the aggregated earnings attributable to such service as exceeds the earnings threshold"; and

(c) in paragraph (d), for the words "the remainder of the aggregated earnings" there shall be substituted the words "such part of the remainder of the aggregated earnings as exceeds the earnings threshold".

(5) In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 3 of that Schedule, for the words "his own secondary contribution" there shall be substituted the words "any secondary contribution of his own".

(6) For paragraph 5 of that Schedule there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"Class 1A contributions

5 Regulations may–

(a) make provision for calculating the amount of Class 1A contributions so as to avoid fractional amounts;

(b) modify section 10 above in relation to cases where a car is made available by reason of two or more employed earner´s employments under different employers."

(7) After that paragraph there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"Class 1B contributions

5A Regulations may make provision for calculating the amount of Class 1B contributions so as to avoid fractional amounts."

(8) In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 6 of that Schedule, for paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(a) provide for Class 1, Class 1A, Class 1B or Class 2 contributions to be paid, accounted for and recovered in a similar manner to income tax in relation to which regulations under section 203 of the [1988 c. 1.] Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (PAYE) have effect;".

(9) In sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph–

(a) for the words "or Class 1A", in each place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words ", Class 1A or Class 1B"; and

(b) in paragraph (b), the words "(being not less than one year after the end of the tax year in respect of which the sums are due)" shall cease to have effect.

(10) For sub-paragraph (4) of that paragraph there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(4) Where–

(a) a decision relating to contributions falls to be made under section 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 or 15 of the Social Security Act 1998; and

(b) the decision will affect a person´s liability for, or the amount of, any interest due in respect of those contributions,

regulations under this paragraph shall not require any such interest to be paid until the decision has been made."

(11) After that sub-paragraph there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph–

"(4A) Regulations under this paragraph shall not require the payment of interest on a sum due in respect of a Class 1B contribution if a relevant tax appeal has been brought but not finally determined; and "a relevant tax appeal" means an appeal against a determination as to the amount of income tax in respect of which the person liable to pay the Class 1B contribution is accountable in accordance with the relevant PAYE settlement agreement."

(12) In sub-paragraph (11)(a) of paragraph 7 of that Schedule, for the words "and Class 1A" there shall be substituted the words ", Class 1A and Class 1B".

(13) For sub-paragraph (12) of that paragraph there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(12) A penalty under section 98A of that Act as it applies by virtue of this paragraph shall not be imposed where–

(a) a decision relating to contributions falls to be made under section 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 or 15 of the Social Security Act 1998, and has not yet been made; and

(b) the decision will affect a person´s liability for the penalty, or the amount of it."

(14) In paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 8 of that Schedule, after the words "Class 1A" there shall be inserted the words "or Class 1B".

(15) After paragraph (i) of that sub-paragraph there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(ia) for the repayment, in prescribed cases, of the whole or a prescribed part of a Class 1B contribution;".

(16) In paragraph (l) of that sub-paragraph–

(a) in sub-paragraph (i), after the words "Class 1A contributions" there shall be inserted the words "or a Class 1B contribution";

(b) in sub-paragraph (ii), after the words "Class 1 contributions" there shall be inserted the words ", a Class 1B contribution";

(c) after that sub-paragraph there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph–

"(iia) the whole or part of any payment of a Class 1B contribution to be treated as a payment of secondary Class 1 contributions, Class 1A contributions or Class 2 contributions;"; and

(d) in sub-paragraph (iii), for the words "or Class 1A contributions" there shall be substituted the words ", Class 1A contributions or a Class 1B contribution".

Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5)

78 In subsection (2) of section 3 of the Administration Act (late claims for widowhood benefit where death is difficult to establish)–

(a) for paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(a) in any case falling within paragraph (b)(i) of subsection (1) above, where it has been decided under section 8 of the Social Security Act 1998 that the husband has died or is presumed to have died; or"; and

(b) for the word "determination" there shall be substituted the word "decision".

79 (1) In subsection (1) of section 5 of that Act (regulations about claims for and payments of benefit)–

(a) for paragraph (e) there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(e) for any such award to be revised under section 9 of the Social Security Act 1998, or superseded under section 10 of that Act, if any of those requirements are found not to have been satisfied;"; and

(b) paragraphs (n) and (o) shall cease to have effect.

(2) Subsection (4) of that section shall cease to have effect.

80 In subsection (1) of section 6 of that Act (regulations about council tax benefit administration), paragraphs (n) and (o) shall cease to have effect.

81 (1) In subsection (2) of section 71 of that Act (overpayments: general), after the word "shall" there shall be inserted the words "in the case of the Secretary of State or a tribunal, and may in the case of a Commissioner or a court".

(2) In subsection (5) of that section–

(a) in paragraph (a), for the words "revised on a review" there shall be substituted the words "has been revised under section 9 or superseded under section 10 of the Social Security Act 1998"; and

(b) in paragraph (b), for the word "review" there shall be substituted the words "under that section".

(3) In subsection (5A) of that section, for the words "revised on a review" there shall be substituted the words "has been revised under section 9 or superseded under section 10 of the Social Security Act 1998".

82 In subsection (1) of section 71A of that Act (recovery of jobseeker´s allowance: severe hardship cases)–

(a) for the words "an adjudication officer", in both places where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State"; and

(b) for the words "the Secretary of State" there shall be substituted the word "he".

83 In section 116 of that Act (legal proceedings), subsection (6) shall cease to have effect.

84 For section 117 of that Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"117 Issues arising in proceedings

(1) This section applies to proceedings before a court–

(a) for an offence under this Act or the [1995 c. 18.] Jobseekers Act 1995; or

(b) involving any question as to the payment of contributions (other than a Class 4 contribution recoverable by the Inland Revenue); or

(c) for the recovery of any sums due to the Secretary of State or the National Insurance Fund.

(2) A decision of the Secretary of State which–

(a) falls within Part II of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Act 1998 ("the 1998 Act"); and

(b) relates to or affects an issue arising in the proceedings,

shall be conclusive for the purposes of the proceedings.

(3) If–

(a) any such decision is necessary for the determination of the proceedings; and

(b) the decision of the Secretary of State has not been obtained or an application with respect to the decision has been made under section 9 or 10 of the 1998 Act,

the decision shall be referred to the Secretary of State to be made in accordance (subject to any necessary modifications) with Chapter II of Part I of that Act.

(4) Subsection (2) above does not apply where, in relation to the decision–

(a) an appeal has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal has been made but not determined;

(c) an appeal has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired; or

(d) an application has been made under section 9 or 10 of the 1998 Act.

(5) In a case falling within subsection (4) above the court shall adjourn the proceedings until such time as the final decision is known; and that decision shall be conclusive for the purposes of the proceedings."

85 Subsection (2) of section 119 of that Act (recovery of unpaid contributions on prosecution) shall cease to have effect.

86 (1) In subsection (1) of section 120 of that Act (proof of previous offences), the words "or (2)(a)" shall cease to have effect.

(2) In subsection (3) of that section–

(a) after the words "Class 1A" there shall be inserted the words "or Class 1B"; and

(b) for the words "2 years" there shall be substituted the words "6 years".

(3) In subsection (4) of that section–

(a) after the words "Class 1" there shall be inserted the words "or Class 1B"; and

(b) for the words "2 years" there shall be substituted the words "6 years".

(4) After that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(4A) If the offence is one of failure to pay a Class 1B contribution, evidence may be given of failure on his part to pay such contributions, or any Class 1 or Class 1A contributions or contributions equivalent premiums, on the date of the offence, or during the 6 years preceding that date."

(5) In subsection (5) of that section–

(a) paragraph (b) and the word "or" immediately preceding that paragraph shall cease to have effect; and

(b) for the words "2 years" there shall be substituted the words "6 years".

(6) In subsection (6) of that section, after the word "(4)," there shall be inserted the word "(4A)".

87 In subsections (1) and (2) of section 121 of that Act (unpaid contributions: supplementary), the words "or (2)(a)" shall cease to have effect.

88 In subsection (6A) of section 123 of that Act (unauthorised disclosure of information relating to particular persons), for the words "section 54 above" there shall be substituted the words "section 19 of the Social Security Act 1998".

89 In subsection (1) of section 125 of that Act (regulations as to notification of deaths), after the words "the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997" there shall be inserted the words ", the Social Security Act 1998".

90 (1) In subsection (1) of section 143 of that Act (power to alter contributions with a view to adjusting level of National Insurance Fund), for paragraphs (a) and (b) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs–

"(a) the percentage rate specified as the primary percentage in section 8(2);

(b) the percentage rate specified as the secondary percentage in section 9(2);".

(2) In subsection (4) of that section, for paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(a) to increase for any tax year the primary percentage, or the secondary percentage, to a percentage rate more than 0.25 per cent higher than that applicable at the end of the preceding tax year;".

91 In section 144 of that Act (supplementary provisions about orders under section 143), after "143", in each place where it occurs, including the sidenote, there shall be inserted the words "or 143A".

92 For subsections (1) to (3) of section 145 of that Act (power to alter primary and secondary contributions) there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(1) For the purpose of adjusting amounts payable by way of primary Class 1 contributions, the Secretary of State may at any time make an order altering the percentage rate specified as the primary percentage in section 8(2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

(2) For the purpose of adjusting amounts payable by way of secondary Class 1 contributions, the Secretary of State may at any time make an order altering the percentage rate specified as the secondary percentage in section 9(2) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.

(3) No order shall be made under this section so as to increase for any tax year the primary percentage, or the secondary percentage, to a percentage rate more than 0.25 per cent higher than that applicable at the end of the preceding tax year."

93 Section 146 of that Act (power to alter number of secondary earnings brackets) shall cease to have effect.

94 In subsections (1), (2) and (3) of section 147 of that Act (orders under sections 145 and 146: supplementary), the words "or 146" shall cease to have effect.

95 In subsection (2) of section 159 of that Act (effect of alteration in the component rates of income support), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

96 In subsection (3) of section 159A of that Act (effect of alteration of rates of a jobseeker´s allowance), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

97 In subsection (2) of section 160 of that Act (implementation of increases in income support due to attainment of particular ages), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

98 In subsection (2) of section 160A of that Act (implementation of increases in income-based jobseeker´s allowance due to attainment of particular ages), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

99 (1) After subsection (2) of section 162 of that Act (destination of contributions) there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(2A) References in subsections (1) and (2) above to contributions include references to payments on account of contributions made in accordance with regulations under section 3(5) of the Contributions and Benefits Act (payments on account of directors' contributions)."

(2) After subsection (4) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(4A) The sums recovered by the Secretary of State under regulations made under paragraph 7A, 7B or 7C of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act in respect of interest or penalties shall be paid into the National Insurance Fund."

(3) In subsection (5)(b) of that section, for the words "those contributions" there shall be substituted the words "primary Class 1 contributions".

(4) In subsection (8)(b) of that section, after the words "paragraph (c)" there shall be inserted the words "or (ca)".

100 (1) In subsection (4) of section 163 of that Act (general financial arrangements), after the words "Class 1A" there shall be inserted the words "or 1B".

(2) In subsection (5) of that section, after the words "paragraph 6", in the first place where they occur, there shall be inserted the words "or 7B".

101 In section 164 of that Act (destination of payments etc.), subsection (5)(a) shall cease to have effect.

102 (1) In subsection (1) of section 166 of that Act (financial review and report), in paragraph (d), for the words "so far as it relates" there shall be substituted the words "and Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 so far as they relate".

(2) In subsection (2) of that section, in paragraph (c), for the words "so far as it relates" there shall be substituted the words "and Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 so far as they relate".

103 (1) In subsection (3)(a) of section 168 of that Act (allocations from social fund), for the words "a particular social fund officer or group of social fund officers" there shall be substituted the words "a particular appropriate officer or group of appropriate officers".

(2) In subsection (5) of that section, for the words "social fund officers", in each place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "appropriate officers".

(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(6) In this section "appropriate officer" means an officer of the Secretary of State who, acting under his authority, is exercising functions of the Secretary of State in relation to payments from the social fund such as are mentioned in section 138(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act."

104 In subsection (5) of section 170 of that Act (the Social Security Advisory Committee)–

(a) in the definition of "the relevant enactments", after paragraph (ac) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(ad) the provisions of Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 and section 72 of that Act;"; and

(b) in the definition of "the relevant Northern Ireland enactments", after paragraph (ac) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(ad) any provisions in Northern Ireland which correspond to provisions of Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 and section 72 of that Act;".

105 In subsection (5) of section 177 of that Act (co-ordination with Northern Ireland)–

(a) in paragraph (a), after the words "Jobseekers Act 1995" there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998"; and

(b) in paragraph (b), after the words "Jobseekers Act 1995" there shall be inserted the words ", any enactment in Northern Ireland corresponding to Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

106 (1) In subsection (1) of section 178 of that Act (reciprocal arrangements with Northern Ireland: income-related benefits and child benefit), after the words "Jobseekers Act 1995" there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

(2) In subsection (3) of that section, after the words "Jobseekers Act 1995", in each place where they occur, there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

107 (1) In subsection (3)(a) of section 179 of that Act (reciprocal agreements with countries outside the United Kingdom), after the words "Jobseekers Act 1995" there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

(2) After subsection (4)(aa) of that section there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(ab) to Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998; and".

108 In section 180 of that Act (payment of travelling expenses by Secretary of State)–

(a) in paragraph (a), after the words "the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997" there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998"; and

(b) in paragraph (b)(i), after the words "the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997" there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

109 In section 189 of that Act (regulations and orders: general), the following shall cease to have effect, namely–

(a) in subsection (1), the words "subsection (2) below and to";

(b) subsection (2);

(c) in subsection (4), the words "24 or";

(d) in subsection (5), the words "(other than the power conferred by section 24 above)";

(e) in subsection (6), the word "24,"; and

(f) subsection (10).

110 (1) In subsection (1)(a) of section 190 of that Act (instruments containing provisions under certain provisions to be subject to the affirmative Parliamentary procedure)–

(a) after "143," there shall be inserted "143A,"; and

(b) "146," shall cease to have effect.

(2) Subsection (4) of that section shall cease to have effect.

111 In section 191 of that Act (interpretation)–

(a) the definitions of "Commissioner", "the disablement questions", "5 year general qualification", "President" and "10 year general qualification" shall cease to have effect; and

(b) in the definition of "claimant" (in relation to industrial injuries benefit), for the words "section 44 above" there shall be substituted the words "section 29 of the Social Security Act 1998".

112 In subsection (5) of section 192 of that Act (short title, commencement and extent), the words "section 24;" shall cease to have effect.

113 In Part I of Schedule 4 to that Act (persons employed in social security administration or adjudication)–

(a) the entry headed "Adjudication officers" shall cease to have effect;

(b) in the entry headed "Adjudicating bodies", in paragraph (a), for the words "a social security" there shall be substituted the word "an", and paragraphs (b) to (d) shall cease to have effect;

(c) in the entry headed "The Social Fund", the words "A social fund officer" shall cease to have effect; and

(d) at the end of the entry headed "Former officers" there shall be inserted the words–

"A Chief Adjudication Officer.

An adjudication officer.

A social fund officer.

A clerk to, or other officer or member of the staff of, the former social security appeal tribunal, the former disability appeal tribunal or the former medical appeal tribunal."

114 (1) In Part I of Schedule 7 to that Act (regulations not requiring prior submission to Social Security Advisory Committee), in paragraph 3(a), for the words "section 141, 143 or 145 above" there shall be substituted the words "section 141, 143, 143A or 145 above".

(2) In Part II of that Schedule (regulations not requiring prior submission to Industrial Injuries Advisory Council), in paragraph 12, for the words "section 141, 143 or 150 above" there shall be substituted the words "section 141, 143, 143A or 150 above".

115 In paragraph 1(6) of Schedule 9 to that Act (old cases payments administration), after the words "this Act" there shall be inserted the words ", Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

116 (1) In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 3 of Schedule 10 to that Act (supplementary benefit), for the words "Sections 20 to 29, 36 to 43, 51 to 61" there shall be substituted the words "Sections 8 to 18, 29 to 31 and 39 of the Social Security Act 1998".

(2) In sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph, for the words "section 59 above" there shall be substituted the words "section 16 of the Social Security Act 1998".

Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14)

117 In sub-paragraph (2)(a) of paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (recovery of council tax etc. by deductions from income support or jobseeker´s allowance), for the words "appeals and reviews" there shall be substituted the words "appeals to appeal tribunals constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 and decisions under section 9 or 10 of that Act".

Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 (c. 53)

118 (1) In subsection (3) of section 6 of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 (appointment of chairmen of certain tribunals), for the words "paragraph 7, 38(a), 41(a), (b), (c) or (e) or 43" there shall be substituted the words "paragraph 7(b) or 38(a)".

(2) Subsection (4) of that section shall cease to have effect.

119 In subsection (2) of section 7 of that Act (concurrence required for removal of members of certain tribunals), for "43, 48 or 56(a)" there shall be substituted "48 or 56(a)".

120 In subsection (5) of section 13 of that Act (power to apply Act to additional tribunals and to repeal or amend certain provisions)–

(a) in paragraph (a), for "35(a) and (d)" there shall be substituted "35(d)"; and

(b) paragraph (b) shall cease to have effect.

121 (1) In paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to that Act (tribunals under direct supervision of Council)–

(a) for sub-paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(a) Appeal tribunals constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14)"; and

(b) in sub-paragraph (b), for the words "that Act" there shall be substituted the words "the Child Support Act 1991 (c. 48)".

(2) In paragraph 41 of that Schedule–

(a) for sub-paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

"(a) Appeal tribunals constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14)";

(b) sub-paragraphs (b), (c) and (e) shall cease to have effect; and

(c) in sub-paragraph (d), for the words "section 52 of that Act" there shall be substituted the words "Schedule 4 to the Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14)".

122 (1) Paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to that Act (transitory provisions) shall cease to have effect.

(2) In paragraph 4 of that Schedule–

(a) in sub-paragraph (a), for the words "1(a), 2(a) or 3(a)" there shall be substituted the words "1(a) or 2(a)"; and

(b) in sub-paragraph (b), for the words "1(b), 2(b) or 3(b)" there shall be substituted the words "1(b) or 2(b)" and for the words "1(a), 2(a) or 3(a)" there shall be substituted the words "1(a) or 2(a)".

Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (c. 8)

123 (1) In Part II of Schedule 1 to the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (other appointments)–

(a) in the entry relating to the Chief or other Social Security Commissioner, for the words "section 52(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Act 1998"; and

(b) for the entry relating to the President of social security appeal tribunals, medical appeal tribunals, disability appeal tribunals and child support appeal tribunals there shall be substituted the following entry–

"President of appeal tribunals (within the meaning of Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998), appointed under section 5 of that Act".

(2) In that Part of that Schedule, the following entries shall cease to have effect, namely–

"Chairman of social security appeal tribunals, medical appeal tribunals and disability appeal tribunals"; and

"Chairman of child support appeal tribunals".

124 (1) In Schedule 5 to that Act (retirement provisions: the relevant offices)–

(a) in the entry relating to the Chief or other Social Security Commissioner, for the words "section 52(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 4 to the Social Security Act 1998"; and

(b) for the entry relating to the President of social security appeal tribunals, medical appeal tribunals, disability appeal tribunals and child support appeal tribunals there shall be substituted the following entry–

"President of appeal tribunals (within the meaning of Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998) appointed under section 5 of that Act".

(2) In that Schedule, the following entries shall cease to have effect, namely–

"Chairman of social security appeal tribunals, medical appeal tribunals and disability appeal tribunals";

"Chairman of child support appeal tribunals"; and

"Chairman of vaccine damage tribunals".

125 In paragraph 5(5) of Schedule 7 to that Act (ascertainment of potential retirement date), sub-paragraphs (iii) and (iv) shall cease to have effect.

Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48)

126 In subsection (2) of section 8 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 (meaning of "minimum payment" etc.), for the words "section 42A(2)" there shall be substituted the words "section 42A".

127 For subsections (1) and (1A) of section 41 of that Act (reduced rates of Class 1 contributions) there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(1) Subsections (1A) to (1C) apply where–

(a) the earnings paid to or for the benefit of an earner in any tax week are in respect of an employment which is contracted-out employment at the time of the payment, and

(b) the earner´s service in the employment is service which qualifies him for a pension provided by a salary related contracted-out scheme;

and in subsections (1A) and (1B) "the relevant part", in relation to those earnings, means so much of those earnings as exceeds the current lower earnings limit but not the current upper earnings limit for that week (or the prescribed equivalents if the earner is paid otherwise than weekly).

(1A) The amount of the primary Class 1 contribution in respect of the relevant part of those earnings ("amount A") shall be reduced by an amount equal to 1.6 per cent of that part.

(1B) The amount of any secondary Class 1 contribution in respect of the earnings ("amount B") shall be reduced by an amount equal to 3 per cent of the relevant part of those earnings ("amount C").

(1C) Where amount C exceeds amount B, the excess shall be set off against the amount which the secondary contributor is liable to pay (under paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the [1992 c. 4.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992) in respect of amount A."

128 For subsections (1) and (2) of section 42A of that Act (reduced rates of Class 1 contributions, and rebates) there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(1) Subsections (2) to (3) apply where–

(a) the earnings paid to or for the benefit of an earner in any tax week are in respect of an employment which is contracted-out employment at the time of the payment, and

(b) the earner´s service in the employment is service which qualifies him for a pension provided by a money purchase contracted-out scheme;

and in subsections (2) and (2A) "the relevant part", in relation to those earnings, means so much of those earnings as exceeds the current lower earnings limit but not the current upper earnings limit for that week (or the prescribed equivalents if the earner is paid otherwise than weekly).

(2) The amount of the primary Class 1 contribution in respect of the relevant part of those earnings ("amount A") shall be reduced by an amount equal to the appropriate flat-rate percentage of that part.

(2A) The amount of any secondary Class 1 contribution in respect of the earnings ("amount B") shall be reduced by an amount equal to the appropriate flat-rate percentage of the relevant part of those earnings ("amount C").

(2B) Where amount C exceeds amount B, the excess shall be set off against the amount which the secondary contributor is liable to pay (under paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the [1992 c. 4.] Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992) in respect of amount A."

129 In subsection (6)(c) of section 158 of that Act (disclosure of information between government departments etc.), for the words "sections 17 to 62 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

130 (1) In subsection (3) of section 167 of that Act (application of general provisions relating to administration of social security), for the words "Section 58 of that Act (regulations as to determination of questions and matters arising out of, or pending, reviews and appeals)" there shall be substituted the words "Section 11 of the Social Security Act 1998 (regulations with respect to decisions)".

(2) Subsection (4) of that section shall cease to have effect.

131 For section 170 of that Act there shall be substituted the following section–

"170 Decisions and appeals

(1) Section 2 (use of computers) of the Social Security Act 1998 ("the 1998 Act") applies as if, for the purposes of subsection (1) of that section, this Act were a relevant enactment.

(2) Sections 8, 9 and 10 of the 1998 Act (decisions by the Secretary of State, revision of decisions and decisions superseding earlier decisions) apply as if, for the purposes of section 8(1)(c) of that Act, this Act were a relevant enactment.

(3) Regulations may make provision–

(a) with respect to the procedure to be adopted on any application made under section 9 or 10 of the 1998 Act by virtue of subsection (2); and

(b) generally with respect to such applications, and revisions under section 9 and decisions under section 10,

but may not prevent such a revision or decision being made without such an application.

(4) Section 12 of the 1998 Act (appeal to appeal tribunal) applies as if, for the purposes of subsection (1)(b) of that section, any decision of the Secretary of State falling to be made under this Act were a decision falling within Schedule 3 to that Act."

132 (1) In subsection (1) of section 171 of that Act (questions arising in proceedings), for the words from "any such question" to "Secretary of State" there shall be substituted the words "any decision such as is mentioned in section 170(2) is made by the Secretary of State, the decision".

(2) For subsections (2) and (3) of that section there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(2) If–

(a) any such decision is necessary for the determination of the proceedings; and

(b) the decision of the Secretary of State has not been obtained or an application with respect to the decision has been made under section 9 or 10 of the Social Security Act 1998,

the decision shall be referred to the Secretary of State to be made in accordance (subject to any necessary modifications) with Chapter II of Part I of that Act.

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply where, in relation to the decision–

(a) an appeal has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal has been made but not determined;

(c) an appeal has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired; or

(d) an application has been made under section 9 or 10 of that Act.

(4) In a case falling within subsection (3) the court shall adjourn the proceedings until such time as the final decision is known; and that decision shall be conclusive for the purposes of the proceedings."

Jobseekers Act 1995 (c. 18)

133 After subsection (3) of section 2 of the Jobseekers Act (the contribution-based conditions) there shall be inserted the following subsection–

"(3A) Where primary Class 1 contributions have been paid or treated as paid on any part of a person´s earnings, subsections (2)(b) and (3) above shall have effect as if such contributions had been paid or treated as paid on so much of the earnings as did not exceed the upper earnings limit."

134 (1) In subsection (6) of section 6 of that Act (availability for employment)–

(a) the words "("the first determination")" shall cease to have effect; and

(b) for the words "on a review of the first determination" there shall be substituted the words "under section 9 or 10 of the Social Security Act 1998".

(2) In subsection (8) of that section, for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

135 In subsection (7) of section 7 of that Act (actively seeking employment)–

(a) the words "("the first determination")" shall cease to have effect; and

(b) for the words "on a review of the first determination" there shall be substituted the words "under section 9 or 10 of the Social Security Act 1998".

136 (1) In subsection (6) of section 9 of that Act (the jobseeker´s agreement), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(2) In subsection (7) of that section–

(a) for the words "An adjudication officer to whom a reference is made under subsection (6)" there shall be substituted the words "On a reference under subsection (6) the Secretary of State"; and

(b) for the words "the adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(3) In subsection (8) of that section, for the words "an adjudication officer", in each place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(4) Subsection (9) of that section shall cease to have effect.

137 (1) In subsection (5) of section 10 of that Act (variation of jobseeker´s agreement), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(2) In subsection (6) of that section, for the words "An adjudication officer to whom a reference is made under subsection (5)" there shall be substituted the words "On a reference under subsection (5) the Secretary of State".

(3) In subsection (7) of that section, for the words "an adjudication officer", in each place where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(4) Subsection (8) of that section shall cease to have effect.

138 Section 11 of that Act (jobseeker´s agreement: reviews and appeals) shall cease to have effect.

139 (1) In subsection (3) of section 16 of that Act (severe hardship), for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted the following paragraph–

"(b) it appears to him that the person concerned has, without good cause–

(i) neglected to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of a place on a training scheme; or

(ii) after a place on such a scheme has been notified to him by an employment officer as vacant or about to become vacant, refused or failed to apply for it or to accept it when offered to him; or".

(2) For subsection (4) of that section there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(4) In this section–

• "employment officer" means an officer of the Secretary of State or such other person as may be designated for the purposes of this section by an order made by the Secretary of State;

• "period" includes–

  (a)

  a period of a determinate length;

  (b)

  a period defined by reference to the happening of a future event; and

  (c)

  a period of a determinate length but subject to earlier determination upon the happening of a future event;

• "training scheme" has such meaning as may be prescribed."

140 (1) In subsection (2) of section 17 of that Act (reduced payments), for the word "either" there shall be substituted the word "any".

(2) In subsection (3) of that section, for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs–

"(b) he has given up a place on a training scheme, or failed to attend such a scheme on which he has been given a place, and no certificate has been issued to him under subsection (4);

(c) he has lost his place on such a scheme through misconduct."

(3) For subsections (4) and (5) of that section there shall be substituted the following subsections–

"(4) Where a young person who has given up a place on a training scheme, or failed to attend such a scheme on which he has been given a place–

(a) claims that there was good cause for his doing so; and

(b) applies to the Secretary of State for a certificate under this subsection,

the Secretary of State shall, if he is satisfied that there was good cause, issue a certificate to that effect and give a copy of it to the young person.

(5) In this section–

• "training scheme" has such meaning as may be prescribed;

• "young person" means a person who has reached the age of 16 but not the age of 18."

141 (1) In subsection (3) of section 19 of that Act (circumstances in which a jobseeker´s allowance is not payable), for the words "the adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

(2) In subsection (4) of that section, for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

142 In subsection (2)(b)(ii) of section 20 of that Act (exemptions from section 19), for the words "he has failed to complete a course of training" there shall be substituted the words "the condition mentioned in section 17(3)(b) or (c) is satisfied".

143 In subsections (1) and (2) of section 31 of that Act (termination of awards), for the words "an adjudication officer" there shall be substituted the words "the Secretary of State".

144 In subsection (1) of section 35 of that Act (interpretation)–

(a) the definition of "adjudication officer" shall cease to have effect; and

(b) in the definition of "entitled", for the words "sections 1 and 68 of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "section 1 of the Administration Act and section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998".

145 In subsection (1) of section 36 of that Act (regulations and orders), for the words "9(13) or 19(10)(a)" there shall be substituted the words "9(13), 16(4) or 19(10)(a)".

146 In paragraph 10(2) of Schedule 1 to that Act (supplementary provisions), for the words "section 5(1)(n) of the Administration Act" there shall be substituted the words "section 21(2) of the Social Security Act 1998".

Industrial Tribunals Act 1996 (c. 17)

147 In subsection (5) of section 16 of the Industrial Tribunals Act 1996 (power to provide for recoupment of benefits)–

(a) in paragraph (a), the words "adjudication officers or" shall cease to have effect; and

(b) for paragraph (d) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs–

"(cc) provide for the determination by the Secretary of State of any issue arising as to the total or partial recoupment in pursuance of the regulations of a jobseeker´s allowance, unemployment benefit or income support,

(d) confer on an employee a right of appeal to an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 against any decision of the Secretary of State on any such issue, and".

Employment Rights Act 1996 (c. 18)

148 In subsection (5) of section 215 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (employment abroad etc.), for the words "the Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998".

Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 (c. 27)

149 (1) For subsection (1) of section 10 of the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 (review of certificates of recoverable benefits) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) Any certificate of recoverable benefits may be reviewed by the Secretary of State–

(a) either within the prescribed period or in prescribed cases or circumstances; and

(b) either on an application made for the purpose or on his own initiative."

(2) At the end of subsection (2) of that section there shall be inserted the words "or

(c) revoke the certificate."

150 (1) At the end of subsection (1) of section 11 of that Act (appeals against certificates of recoverable benefits) there shall be inserted the words "or

(c) that listed benefits which have not been, and are not likely to be, paid to the injured person during the relevant period have been brought into account, or

(d) that the payment on the basis of which the certificate was issued is not a payment within section 1(1)(a)".

(2) In subsection (2) of that section, after paragraph (a) there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(aa) (in a case where that certificate was issued under section 7(2)(a)) the person to whom it was so issued, or".

(3) Subsection (6) of that section shall cease to have effect.

151 (1) For subsections (1) and (2) of section 12 of that Act (reference of questions to medical appeal tribunal) there shall be substituted the following subsection–

"(1) The Secretary of State must refer an appeal under section 11 to an appeal tribunal."

(2) In subsection (3) of that section, for the words "any question referred to it under subsection (1)" there shall be substituted the words "any appeal under section 11".

(3) In subsection (4) of that section–

(a) for the words "a reference under subsection (1) a medical appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal under section 11 an appeal tribunal"; and

(b) at the end there shall be inserted the words "or

(c) declare that the certificate of recoverable benefits is to be revoked."

(4) In subsection (5) of that section–

(a) for the words "the decisions of the tribunal on the questions referred to it under subsection (1), he must in accordance with those decisions" there shall be substituted the words "the decision of the tribunal on the appeal under section 11, he must in accordance with that decision"; and

(b) at the end there shall be inserted the words "or

(c) revoke the certificate."

(5) The following shall cease to have effect, namely–

(a) subsection (6) of that section;

(b) in subsection (7) of that section, the words "under subsection (6)(b)"; and

(c) subsection (8) of that section.

152 (1) In subsection (1) of section 13 of that Act (appeal to social security Commissioner), for the words "a medical appeal tribunal" there shall be substituted the words "an appeal tribunal".

(2) In subsection (2) of that section–

(a) the word "or" at the end of paragraph (b) shall cease to have effect; and

(b) after that paragraph there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

"(bb) (in a case where that certificate was issued under section 7(2)(a)) the person to whom it was so issued, or".

(3) In subsection (3) of that section, for the words "Subsections (7) to (10) of section 23 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992" there shall be substituted the words "Subsections (7) to (12) of section 14 of the Social Security Act 1998".

(4) Subsection (4) of that section shall cease to have effect.

153 In section 29 of that Act (general interpretation)–

(a) before the definition of "benefit" there shall be inserted the following definition–

""appeal tribunal" means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998;"; and

(b) after the definition of "benefit" there shall be inserted the following definition–

""Commissioner" has the same meaning as in Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998 (see section 39);".

Section 86(2).

SCHEDULE 8 Repeals