The amendments in these Regulations provide survivor benefits for same sex partners of Local Government Pension Scheme members or eligible persons where the same sex partners have registered a civil partnership under the terms of the Civil Partnership Act 2004. Section 12 of the Superannuation Regulations 1972 provides that regulations made under section 7 of that Act may have retrospective effect: the changes made to the 1997 Regulations have effect from 1st April 1998. This retrospection, and the amendments to the Transitional Provisions Regulations, are necessary to apply the provisions to deferred or pensioner members who enter into a civil partnership having ceased employment before these Regulations come into force.