3. Where child benefit was payable, in any week in the 12 weeks immediately preceding 1st March 1999 in the case of a child, by virtue of regulation 2(2)(c)(ii) of the principal Regulations as then in force, and that child either–
(a)remains continuously absent from Great Britain; or
(b)returns to Great Britain for any period not exceeding 12 weeks;
that regulation as originally in force shall continue to have effect in his case, as if regulation 2 above had not been made, up to and including either 6th September 1999 or the Monday of the 156th week following the date the child first started being educated abroad, whichever is the later.