Section 126 Supplementary provisions as to up-rating

If on a review under section 125 above the Secretary of State determines that he is not required to prepare and lay the draft of an up-rating order, he shall instead lay before each House of Parliament a report explaining his reasons for arriving at that determination.

The Secretary of State shall with any report under subsection (1) above lay a copy of a report by the Government Actuary giving the latter's opinion on the likely effect on the National Insurance Fund of the Secretary of State's determination that no order is required.

Section 125(3) above shall not require the Secretary of State to provide for an increase in any case in which it appears to him that the amount of the increase would be inconsiderable.

The Secretary of State may, in providing for an increase in pursuance of section 125(3), adjust the amount of the increase so as to secure that the sums specified for any particular benefits continue to differ from each other by the same amount, or so as to round any sum up or down to such extent as he thinks appropriate having regard to the nature and the rate or amount of the benefit in question.

A draft order prepared under section 125(3) shall be framed so as to bring the increase of any sum to which it relates into force not later than the expiration of the period of 12 months beginning with the date on which the provision fixing the current amount of that sum came into force; but if since that date there have been laid before Parliament under subsection (1) of this section one or more reports, or one or more draft orders not increasing that sum, that period shall be extended by a further 12 months for each such report or draft order.

Schedule 14 to this Act has effect with respect to benefit under this Act or the Old Cases Act, where rates of benefit are altered—