Commentary on provisions of the Act
Section 1: Issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for the year ending 31 March 2020 and appropriation of that sum
- The purpose of Section 1 is to authorise the NI Department of Finance to issue out of the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland the sum of £5,306,684,000 for the purposes set out in Schedule 1. This sum is a balance to complete, and is in addition to the amount previously authorised by section 4 of the Northern Ireland Budget (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2019.
Section 2: Power of the Department of Finance to borrow
- Section 2 establishes Section 2 authorises the temporary borrowing by the NI Department of Finance of approximately half the sum covered by Section 1. This is a normal safeguard against the possibility of a temporary deficiency arising in the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland and any such borrowing is to be repaid by 31 March 2020.
Section 3: Use of resources (other than accruing resources) in the year ending 31 March 2020
- Section 3 authorises the use of resources by NI departments and other specified public bodies amounting to £6,041,303,000 in the year ending 31 March 2020 for the purposes specified in column 1 of Schedule 2. As with Section 1, this amount is a balance to complete, and is in addition to the amount previously authorised by section 6 of the Northern Ireland Budget (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2019.
Section 4: Limits on use of certain accruing resources in the year ending 31 March 2020
- Section 4 sets limits on the accruing resources, including both operating and non-operating accruing resources, which may be used by the NI departments and specified public bodies for the purposes specified in column 1 of Schedule 2 in the year ending 31 March 2020.
Section 5: Act to take effect as if it were a Budget Act of the Assembly etc.
- Section 5 provides for this Act to have the same effect as if it were an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly. It also modifies references in other pieces of legislation which relate to the requirement for the laying and approval of estimates in the Assembly so that they include references to estimates laid before Parliament in the current financial year.
Section 6: Interpretation and Section 7: Short title
- These provisions are self-explanatory.
Schedule 1 – Sums granted for the year ended 31 March 2020
- Schedule 1 sets out the purposes and sums of money granted to Northern Ireland departments and other bodies under this Act (Section 1).
Schedule 2 – Amounts of resources authorised for use and amounts of accruing resources which may be used in year ending 31 March 2020
- Schedule 2 sets out the amount of resources authorised for use by Departments and other bodies (see Section 3) and the limits to use of accruing resources (see Section 4).
