Appropriation (No. 2) Act 2009

A Bill to authorise the use of resources for the service of the year ending 31 March 2010; to appropriate the supply authorised in this Session of Parliament for the service of the year ending 31 March 2010; and to repeal certain Consolidated Fund and Appropriation Acts.

The Bill provides Parliamentary authority for funds requested by the Government. It is part of ‘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’. Once passed, the Bill becomes the Appropriation (No. 2) Act.

Key areas

• Authorises provision sought in the Main Estimates (and any Summer Supplementary Estimates) for 2009-10, less that already allocated in the Vote on Account
• Authorises the release of money from the Consolidated Fund, which is the Government’s bank account
• Places limits on the purposes for which the money may be spent.