Commentary on provisions of Act Section 9: Draft budgets
This provision seeks to introduce more transparency into the budgetary process by providing for the Minister of Finance and Personnel to lay a statement before the Assembly, at least 14 days in advance of laying a draft budget. The statement will specify the amount of UK funding for the financial year as notified by the Secretary of State.
	New subsection (1B), in section 64 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, requires a further statement to be laid alongside the draft budget showing that the amount of UK funding required by the draft budget will not exceed the amount available and set out in the first statement.
	New subsections (1C) to (1E) provide for circumstances where the Secretary of State notifies the Minister that the amount of UK funding has been revised for that year. The Minister must lay a statement before the Assembly, within 4 months of the notification, showing the revisions to the expenditure proposals where changes are required as a result of the notification, which must not exceed the revised amount of UK funding for that year.