Parliamentary approval for financial costs or for charges imposed
- A money resolution is required for this Act, to cover potential expenditure by the Secretary of State under various provisions of the Act. A number of provisions contemplate the payment of compensation where the Secretary of State's powers of compulsory acquisition are exercised. The Act also confers a range of functions on the nominated undertaker (including the power to construct and maintain the main works for construction of Phase One of HS2, and other miscellaneous obligations to pay compensation).
- The Act also gives rise to additional functions for the Office of Rail and Road (previously the Office of Rail Regulation). The Office was established by section 15 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. Paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 to that Act provides for expenditure incurred by the Office in connection with the performance of its functions to be paid out of money provided by Parliament, to the extent that the Office's expenditure is not met by its other income. The exercise of the additional functions conferred on the Office by the Act may lead to an increase in the Office's expenditure and, as a result, an increase in the payments to the Office out of money provided by Parliament under the 2003 Act.
