Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Special Constables (Pensions) Regulations of 1973 (the current Instrument) and those of 1971 (the old cases Instrument) which give to special constables and their dependants certain pension benefits for which members of police forces and their dependants are eligible under, respectively, the Police Pensions Regulations of 1973 and those of 1971.

The Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 1974 provide, in Part III, for the increase by reference to the Pensions (Increase) Act 1974 of certain widows' pensions and children's allowances payable under the Police Pensions Regulations 1973 and for any reference in either those Regulations or the Police Pensions Regulations 1971 to Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c.56) to be construed as a reference to that Act as amended by the Act of 1974. The present Regulations provide, in Regulations 4 and 5, that Part III shall have effect in relation to the Police Pensions Regulations of 1973 and those of 1971 as applied, respectively, by the Special Constables (Pensions) Regulations of 1973 and those of 1971.

The Regulations of 1974 also provide, in Part II, for the revocation of certain provisions of the Police Pensions Regulations 1971 relating to the reduction, in certain circumstances, of a child's allowance payable thereunder. The present Regulations provide, in Regulation 5, that Part II shall have effect in relation to the Police Pensions Regulations 1971 as applied by the Special Constables (Pensions) Regulations 1971.

The present Regulations have the like retrospective effect as the Police Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 1974 (this is authorised by sections 12 and 15 of the Superannuation Act 1972).