18.— (1) The Principal Act is amended in section 312 by substituting “under section 196, 197 or 198” for “for supplementary welfare allowance”.

(2) The Principal Act is amended as indicated in Schedule 1.

(3) Any determination by an employee of the Executive in relation to the award to a person of supplementary welfare allowance made before the commencement of this subsection has effect, on and from that commencement, as a decision by a designated person to award supplementary welfare allowance to that person under Chapter 9 of Part 3 of the Principal Act as amended by subsection (2).

(4) Where, immediately before the commencement of this section, an application made by a person for supplementary welfare allowance has not been finally determined, that application shall be deemed to be an application for supplementary welfare allowance under Chapter 9 of Part 3 of the Principal Act as amended by subsection (2).