Supplementary Benefits Act 1976

31 Reciprocal arrangements with Northern Ireland

(1) The Secrtary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, make reciprocal arrangements with the appropriate Northern Irish authority for co-ordinating the operation of the two schemes for the payment of supplementary benefits in respect of persons whose resources are insufficient to meet their requirements, being the schemes established respectively under this Act and under the Supplementary Benefits Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 to 1975 and any Measure for similar purposes passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(2) Any such arrangements may include provision for the modification or adaptation of the respective schemes in relation to, or in connection with, persons affected by the arrangements.

(3) The Secretary of State may, by regulations made under this section, provide for such modification or adaptation of the provisions of this Act as may appear to him to be required for giving effect to the arrangements, or in consequence of the arrangements, and for any necessary financial adjustments.

(4) The power under subsection (3) above to provide by regulations for the modification or adaptation of the provisions of this Act and for necessary financial adjustments shall be exercisable in relation to any enactment passed after this Act which is directed to be construed as one with this Act; but this subsection applies only so far as a contrary intention does not appear in that enactment and is without prejudice to the generality of any such direction.

(5) In this section " the appropriate Northern Irish authority " means such authority as may be specified for the purposes of this section in any legislation passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland or in any Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.