Appropriation (No. 2) Act 2008

To authorise the use of resources for the service of the year ending with 31st March 2009 and to apply certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending with 31st March 2009; to appropriate the supply authorised in this Session of Parliament for the service of the year ending with 31st March 2009; and to repeal certain Consolidated Fund and Appropriation Acts.

The Bill provides Parliamentary authority for funds requested by the Government. It is part of what is known as ‘Supply procedure’ which is how Parliament grants the Government’s requests for resources. Two Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bills are passed each year, in March and July. They are sometimes referred to simply as Appropriation Bills. These, together with the Consolidated Fund Bill, provide authorisation from Parliament for the resources sought by the Government. Proceedings on the Bill are formal - there is no debate and the Bill goes through ‘on the nod’.Key areas:

• The Bill authorises provision sought in the Main Estimates, and any Summer Supplementary Estimates, for 2008-09, less that already allocated in the Vote on Account
• The Bill authorises the release of money from the Consolidated Fund which is the Government’s bank account
• The Bill places limits on the purposes for which the money may be spent.
• Once passed, the Bill becomes the Appropriation (No. 2) Act.