24.—(1) Where leave is granted to a person under section 23 (3) for the making of an application for a relief order, the court may, subject to subsection (3), on application to it in that behalf by the person, if it appears to it that a spouse, or a dependent member of the family, concerned is in immediate need of financial assistance, make an order for maintenance pending relief, that is to say, an order requiring the other spouse or either of the spouses, as may be appropriate, to make to the person such periodical payments or lump sum payments for his or her support or, as may be appropriate, for the benefit of the dependent member of the family as it considers proper and, as respects any periodical payments, for such period beginning not earlier than the date of such grant and ending not later than the date of the determination of the application as it considers proper.

(2) The court may, on application to it in that behalf, provide that payments under an order under this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate and specifies in the order.

(3) The court shall not make an order under this section in a case where neither of the requirements specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 27 (1) is satisfied.