63.—(1) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a question arises whether an appeal ought to be brought against the decision of a court, he may, subject to paragraph (2), direct that payment of the pension or gratuity in accordance with that decision be suspended, in whole or in part, pending the determination of the appeal.
(2) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a question arises under paragraph (1), he may only give directions that payment of the pension or gratuity in accordance with that decision be suspended within the relevant period.
(3) A suspension under paragraph (1) shall cease unless, within the relevant period, the person awarded the pension or gratuity by virtue of the decision (“the pensioner”) is given notice in writing that an application for permission to appeal has been made against that decision.
(4) Where the pensioner has been given notice within the relevant period that an application for permission to appeal has been made, the suspension may continue until that application for permission to appeal and any subsequent appeal is determined.
(5) A pensioner is to be treated as having been given the notice required by paragraph (3) on the date that it is posted to him at his last known address.
(6) In this article—
(a)“appeal” means
(i)in England, Wales and Northern Ireland an appeal to the Court of Appeal or, in Scotland, a reclaiming motion to the Inner House of the Court of Session, against the determination of an application for judicial review,
(ii)in England, Wales and Northern Ireland an appeal to the House of Lords against a decision of the Court of Appeal in an application referred to in head (i) above, or in Scotland, an appeal to the House of Lords against a decision of the Inner House of the Court of Session in a reclaiming motion in an application referred to in head (i) above;
(b)“application for permission to appeal” means an application or petition for permission to appeal as the case may be in the proceedings referred to in heads (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (a) above;
(c)“relevant period” means the period of three months beginning with the date on which notice in writing of the decision in question and of the reasons for it is received by the Secretary of State.