Purpose
6.The Bill will give effect to the 2020-21 Northern Ireland Main Estimates and will authorise the issue of cash from the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland of £4,757,631,000 in addition to the cash sum in the Vote on Account authorised by the Budget Act (NI) 2020 and in the Further Vote on Account authorised by the Budget (No.2) Act (NI) 2020. The Bill will also authorise the use of resources amounting to £4,791,050,000 in addition to the Vote on Account resources authorised by the Budget Act (NI) 2020 and the Further Vote on Account resources authorised by the Budget (No.2) Act 2020. The Bill also specifies the limits on the amount of accruing resources, including both operating and non-operating accruing resources, that may be directed to be used for certain purposes for the year ending 31 March 2021. In addition, the Bill will authorise temporary borrowing by the Department of Finance.
7.The sums to be issued from the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2021 are to be appropriated for services, as set out in column 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act.
8.The amount of resources authorised for use for the year ending 31 March 2021 are to be used for the purposes specified in column 1 of Schedule 2 to the Act.
9.The Bill also authorises cash totalling £112,618,000 for six Departments and other public bodies, and resources totalling £183,290,000 for seven departments and other public bodies, in respect of the 2016-17 year. This gives effect to the 2016-17 Statement of Excesses for the relevant departments and other public bodies following the report of the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee which recommended that the amounts necessary be provided by Excess Votes.
10.The sums to be issued from the Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2017 are to be appropriated for services, as set out in column 1 of Schedule 3 to the Act.
11.The amount of resources authorised for use for the year ending 31 March 2017 are to be used for the purposes specified in column 1 of Schedule 4 to the Act.
12.A number of spent enactments will also be repealed.