PENSIONS Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 1 These Regulations may be cited as the War Pensions Committees Regulations 2000, and shall come into force on 1st January 2001. 2 In these Regulations— “committee” means a war pensions committee or, where the context so requires, the war pensions committee for the relevant area; “member” means member of a committee or, where the context so requires, a member of the relevant committee; ... “surviving spouse” means a widow or widower in receipt of a war pension; and “surviving civil partner” means a surviving civil partner in receipt of a war pension. 3 Any reference to Schedule 1 or to Schedule 2 is a reference to the Schedule so numbered in these Regulations, and any reference to the area of a committee is a reference to the area for which the committee is established pursuant to regulation 3, 4, 5 or 6. Revocation of regulations and abolition of existing committees 2 The following Regulations are hereby revoked: The War Pensions Committees Regulations 1990 ; The War Pensions Committees (Amendment) Regulations 1995 ; and The War Pensions Committees (Amendment) Regulations 1996 , and the committees established and operated thereunder shall be abolished. Committees for England 3 In England, there shall be established for each group of local government areas specified in column 1 of Schedule 1 a committee bearing the name specified in respect of that group in column 2. Committee for Wales 4 There shall be established for Wales a committee named the Wales Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee (Pwyllgor Cynghori a Pensiynau Cyn-filwyr Cymru) . Committee for Northern Ireland 5 There shall be established for Northern Ireland a committee named the Northern Ireland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee . Committees for Scotland 6 In Scotland, there shall be established for each group of local government areas specified in column 1 of the following Table a committee bearing the name specified in respect of that group in column 2— TABLE 1. 2. Group comprising— Name of committee City of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, The Borders, Clackmannan, City of Dundee, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Highland, East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, Moray, Orkney Islands, Perthshire and Kinross, Shetland Islands, ... Western Isles. East Scotland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee . Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dumbarton and Clydebank, East Dunbartonshire, City of Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire , Stirling . West Scotland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee . Membership, constitution, proceedings, etc of committees 7 1 Each committee shall consist of not fewer than 12 nor more than 20 members who shall be appointed by the Secretary of State. 2 The provisions of Schedule 2 shall have effect with respect to committees. Functions of a committee 8 1 In its area, a committee shall— a enable and foster local consultation by the Secretary of State on issues affecting war pensioners, surviving spouses, surviving civil partners or AFCS benefit recipients ; b help to increase awareness about war pensions and AFCS benefits ; c support the Veterans UK by monitoring its welfare service, raising awareness of the service it provides and liaising with other organisations with a view to ensuring that the welfare needs of war pensioners, surviving spouses, surviving civil partners, AFCS benefit recipients and their dependants are suitably addressed; and d assist war pensioners, surviving spouses, surviving civil partners, AFCS benefit recipients and others claiming war pensions or AFCS benefits with any problem or complaint regarding war pensions, AFCS benefits or the welfare services provided by Veterans UK . 2 In its area, a committee may, in particular— a assist any individual claiming or receiving a war pension or AFCS benefit in pursuing any problem or complaint mentioned in paragraph (1)(d); b make representations and recommendations to the Secretary of State about any problem or complaint mentioned in paragraph (1)(d); c report or make recommendations to the Secretary of State on any matter arising pursuant to its functions under paragraph (1); and d receive and disburse funds from charitable or other sources for the sole purpose of provision of social activities for war pensioners, surviving spouses, surviving civil partners and AFCS benefit recipients . 3 Where funds are received as mentioned in paragraph (2)(d), the committee shall keep proper accounts of all receipts and disbursements, and it shall provide a copy of those accounts to the Secretary of State as soon as is practicable after: a the end of each financial year; and b at any other time, on receipt of a written request from the Secretary of State. 4 In this regulation “Veterans UK ” means an office designated by the Secretary of State for the purpose of receiving and determining claims for war pensions and AFCS benefits. Recommendations and representations 9 Any recommendations or representations which a committee makes to the Secretary of State shall be by way of a resolution submitted to him. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Social Security. Hugh Bayley Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security 1st December 2000