20C.—(1) The Minister for Finance may, by notice in writing given to the person concerned, reinstate a surviving F77[spouse’s pension or surviving civil partner’s (within the meaning of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010) pension that has ceased to be payable because that person has married, remarried or entered into a civil partnership], but only if satisfied that—

(a) the marriage F78[or civil partnership] has been annulled or dissolved, or

(b) compassionate grounds exist for reinstating the pension.

(2) Payment of a pension reinstated under this section is to be resumed—

(a) if the pension is reinstated because the marriage F78[or civil partnership] has been annulled or dissolved— on and from the date of the annulment or dissolution or, if the annulment or dissolution occurred before the date of commencement of this section, on and from that date, and

(b) in any other case— on and from a date specified by the Minister for Finance in the notice of reinstatement (being a date not earlier than the date of commencement of this section).]