Commentary on Sections Section 3: Use of resources (other than accruing resources) in the year ending 31 March 2021
Sub-section (1) authorises the use of resources amounting to £4,791,050,000 for 2020-21.
There is a distinction between the cash sum authorised for issue in section 1, and the amount of resources authorised for use in section 3. The cash sum in section 1 includes cash used to finance capital investment, and also takes into account movement in working capital and payments based on provisions created in previous years. These do not constitute resource consumption. The resources authorised in clause 3 exclude those items, but include non-cash items, mainly the depreciation of assets and creation of new provisions.
Sub-section (2) authorises that sum for the purposes specified in column 1 of Schedule 2.
Sub-section (3) specifies the departments and other bodies to which these authorisations apply.
Sub-section (4) confirms that this section does not include accruing resources.