AI Summary of 17. Repayment of amounts due to be deferred, suspended or cancelled.
The Principal Act has undergone an amendment, specifically revising section 342 to introduce provisions for the repayment of certain benefits. This includes, among others, benefits linked to child support and welfare assistance.
Under the new section, designated officers appointed by the Minister or the Executive are empowered to defer, suspend, reduce, or cancel repayment obligations. This authority is exercised subject to prescribed conditions and circumstances, thereby providing necessary flexibility in responding to individual repayment situations.
17. Repayment of amounts due to be deferred, suspended or cancelled.
The Principal Act is amended by substituting the following section for section 342:
"342. Repayment of amounts due to be deferred, suspended, reduced or cancelled.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary and subject to section 342A, where a person is required to repay an amount of any -
(a) benefit described in section 39(1),
(b) assistance described in section 139(1),
(c) child benefit,
(d) respite care grant,
(e) working family payment,
(f) continued payment for qualified children, or
(g) payment pursuant to section 239,
in accordance with this Act -
(i) an officer of the Minister authorised by him or her for this purpose, or
(ii) the Executive, in the case of supplementary welfare allowance,
may, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that shall be prescribed, defer, suspend, reduce or cancel repayment of any such amount.".