(1)Subject to the provisions of this Act, the annual rate of an official pension may, if any qualifying condition is satisfied, [F2 or the pension is a widow's pension] be increased by the pension authority in respect of any period beginning on or after 1st September 1971, as follows:—
(a)a pension beginning before the year 1969 may be increased by the amount necessary to bring the rate up to the 1969 standard, that is to say, to the rate arrived at by applying to the basic rate of pension the multiplier given in Schedule 1 for the year in which the pension began, and by a further 18 per cent. of the rate as so increased;
(b)a pension beginning on or before 1st April 1969 but not earlier than that year may be increased by 18 per cent. of the basic rate;
(c)a pension beginning in the six months following 1st April 1969 may be increased by 16 per cent. of the basic rate;
(d)a pension beginning in the six months following 1st October 1969 may be increased by 14 per cent. of the basic rate;
(e)a pension beginning in the six months following 1st April 1970 may be increased by 10 per cent. of the basic rate;
(f)a pension beginning in the six months following 1st October 1970 may be increased by 6 per cent. of the basic rate.
(2)The annual rate of any pension (whether beginning before or after the passing of this Act) payable under the Belfast Corporation Act (Northern Ireland) 1943 shall, in respect of any period beginning on or after 1st September 1971, be increased by the pension authority under subsection (1) as if it were a pension beginning in 1943 [1943 c.i] .
(3)In the case of a pension beginning before the year 1969 or a pension payable under the Belfast Corporation Act (Northern Ireland) 1943 (whatever the date of its beginning) the increase authorised by subsection (1)( a) shall take the place of those authorised by the Pensions (Increase) Acts (Northern Ireland) 1920 to 1969, but in the cases provided for by section 6 shall be of the larger amount there specified by reference to increases that might have been made under those Acts.