Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

143 Interpretation of Part IX and supplementary provisions. N.I.

(1) In this Part of this Act—

• “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations;

• “recognised educational establishment” means an establishment recognised by the Department as being, or as comparable to, a university, college or school;

• “voluntary organisation” means any association carrying on or proposing to carry on any activities otherwise than for the purpose of gain by the association or by individual members of the association;

• “week” means a period of 7 days beginning with a Monday.

(2) Subject to any provision made by regulations, references in this Part of this Act to any condition being satisfied or any facts existing in a week shall be construed as references to the condition being satisfied or the facts existing at the beginning of that week.

(3) References in this Part of this Act to a parent, father or mother of a child shall be construed—

(a) as including references to the natural parent, father or mother of an illegitimate child;

(b) as including references to a step-parent, step-father or step-mother.

(4) Regulations may prescribe the circumstances in which persons are or are not to be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as residing together.

(5) Regulations may make provision as to the circumstances in which—

(a) a marriage celebrated under a law which permits polygamy; or

(b) a marriage during the subsistence of which a party to it is at any time married to more than one person,

is to be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as having, or not having, the consequences of a marriage celebrated under a law which does not permit polygamy.

(6) Nothing in this Part of this Act shall be construed as conferring a right to child benefit on any body corporate; but regulations may confer such a right on voluntary organisations and for that purpose may make such modifications as the Department thinks fit—

(a) of any provision of this Part of this Act; or

(b) of any provision of the Administration Act relating to child benefit.