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Appropriation Act
Appropriation Act
Appropriation Act
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An Appropriation Act is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which, like a Consolidated Fund Act, allows the Treasury to issue funds out of the Consolidated Fund. Unlike a Consolidated Fund Act, an Appropriation Act also "appropriates" the funds, that is allocates the funds issued out of the Consolidated Fund to individual government departments and Crown bodies.[1] Appropriation Acts were formerly passed by the Parliament of Great Britain.[2]

Format

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Each Appropriation Act has a series of schedules which contain tables that set out how the monies issued out of the Consolidated Fund are appropriated. Each department or body which has money appropriated is noted in the tables which contain columns setting out the things the money appropriated may be spent on, the net resources authorised for use, the grants out of the Consolidated Fund, the operating appropriations in aid and the non-operating appropriations in aid. The money may not be spent for purposes other than that it is appropriated for and it must be spent by the end of the fiscal year covered by that appropriation or returned to the Consolidated Fund.[1]

The typical structure of such an act begins with the long title, which defines which financial years the act applies to. This is followed by the preamble, which is different from the normal British public general Act of Parliament preamble in that it includes additional text before the normal preamble:[citation needed]

Whereas the Commons of the United Kingdom in Parliament assembled have resolved to authorise the use of resources and the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund towards making good the supply which they have granted to His Majesty in this Session of Parliament:—

Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Until 2000 an older form of preamble was used:[citation needed]

Most Gracious Sovereign, WE, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom in Parliament assembled, towards making good the supply which we have cheerfully granted to Your Majesty in this Session of Parliament, have resolved to grant unto Your Majesty the sums hereinafter mentioned; and do therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty that it may be enacted and be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Each Appropriation Act typically covers two or more fiscal years, and will normally repeal earlier Appropriation Acts and Consolidated Fund Acts still on the statute books.[1]

Effect

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An Appropriation Act normally becomes spent on the conclusion of the financial year to which it relates.[3]

List

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18th century

[edit]

Appropriation Act 1775
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Sinking Fund, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-five; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation15 Geo. 3. c. 42
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent26 May 1775
Commencement29 November 1774[a]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Appropriation Act 1776
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Sinking Fund, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-six; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament; for giving further Relief to the Widows of Commission and Warrant Officers of the Royal Navy; and for making, forth Duplicates of Exchequer Bills, Lottery Tickets, Certificates, Receipts, Annuity Orders, and other Orders, loft, burnt, or destroyed.
Citation17 Geo. 3. c. 47
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent23 May 1776
Commencement31 October 1776[a]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1776 (17 Geo. 3. c. 47)

Appropriation Act 1778
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Sinking Fund, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned, for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament; and for carrying to the Aggregate Fund, a Sum of Money which hath arisen by the Two Sevenths Excise.
Citation18 Geo. 3. c. 54
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent3 June 1778
Commencement20 November 1777[a]
Repealed21 August
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1778 (18 Geo. 3. c. 54)

Appropriation Act 1784
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Sinking Fund, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and eighty-four, for appropriating the Monies arising by the Duties on Malt, Mum, Cyder, and Perry; and also by a Land Tax granted to His Majesty by Two Acts made in the last Session of Parliament; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation24 Geo. 3. Sess. 2. c. 44
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent19 August 1784
Commencement18 May 1784[a]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Appropriation Act 1790
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Consolidated Fund, for applying certain Monies therein mentioned, for the Service of the Year One thousand seven hundred and ninety; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation30 Geo. 3. c. 32
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent10 June 1790
Commencement21 January 1790[a]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

  • The Appropriation Act 1790 (30 Geo. 3. c. 32)

Appropriation Act 1795
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum of money out of the consolidated fund; for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five; and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament.
Citation35 Geo. 3. c. 120
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent26 June 1795
Commencement26 June 1795[b]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1795 (35 Geo. 3. c. 120)

Appropriation Act 1796
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum of money out of the consolidated fund, for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six; and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament.
Citation36 Geo. 3. c. 126
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent19 May 1796
Commencement19 May 1796[b]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1796 (36 Geo. 3. c. 126)

Appropriation Act 1797
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum of money out of the consolidated fund, and for applying certain monies therein mentioned, for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven; for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament; and for making forth duplicates of exchequer bills, lottery tickets, certificates, receipts, annuity orders, or other orders, lost, burnt, or otherwise destroyed.
Citation37 Geo. 3. c. 144
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent20 July 1797
Commencement20 July 1797[b]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1797 (37 Geo. 3. c. 144)

Appropriation Act 1798
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn act for enabling his Majesty to raise the sum of one million for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, and for applying a certain sum of money therein mentioned for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight; for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament; and for making forth duplicates of exchequer bills, lottery tickets, certificates, receipts, annuity orders, or other orders, lost, burnt, or otherwise destroyed.
Citation38 Geo. 3. c. 90
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent29 June 1798
Commencement29 June 1798[b]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1798 (38 Geo. 3. c. 90)

Appropriation Act 1799
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum of money out of the consolidated fund, for applying certain sums of money therein mentioned, for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine; and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament.
Citation39 Geo. 3. c. 114
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent12 July 1799
Commencement12 July 1799[b]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

19th century

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1800s

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Appropriation Act 1800
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act for raising a certain Sum of Money by Loans or Exchequer Bills, for the Service of the Year one thousand eight hundred and one; and for appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation41 Geo. 3. (G.B.) c. 14
Territorial extent Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent31 December 1800
Commencement31 December 1800[b]
Repealed21 August 1871
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Appropriation Act 1802
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty certain Sums of Money out of the respective Consolidated Funds of Great Britain and Ireland; for applying certain Monies therein mentioned, for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and two; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation42 Geo. 3. c. 120
Dates
Royal assent28 June 1802
Commencement28 June 1802
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1802 (42 Geo. 3. c. 120)

Appropriation Act 1803
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty certain Sums of Money out of the respective Consolidated Funds of Great Britain and Ireland; for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and three; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation43 Geo. 3. c. 162
Dates
Royal assent12 August 1803
Commencement12 August 1803
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1803 (43 Geo. 3. c. 162)

Appropriation Act 1804
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying a certain Sum of Money therein mentioned for the Service of Great Britain, for the Year One thousand eight hundred and four; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation44 Geo. 3. c. 110
Dates
Royal assent31 July 1804
Commencement31 July 1804
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1804 (44 Geo. 3. c. 110)

Appropriation Act 1805
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to his Majesty a certain fund of money out of the consolidated fund of Great Britain; and for applying certain monies therein-mentioned for the service of Great Britain, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five; and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament.
Citation45 Geo. 3. c. 129
Dates
Royal assent12 July 1805
Commencement12 July 1805
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1805 (45 Geo. 3. c. 129)

Appropriation Act 1806
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum of money out of the consolidated fund of Great Britain for the year one thousand eight hundred and six; and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this session of parliament.
Citation46 Geo. 3. c. 149
Dates
Royal assent22 July 1806
Commencement22 July 1806
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1806 (46 Geo. 3. c. 149)

Appropriation Act 1807
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and seven, and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation47 Geo. 3. Sess. 2. c. 76
Dates
Royal assent14 August 1807
Commencement14 August 1807
Repealed10 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872 (No. 2)
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1808
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation48 Geo. 3. c. 148
Dates
Royal assent2 July 1808
Commencement2 July 1808
Repealed10 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872 (No. 2)
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1808 (48 Geo. 3. c. 148)

Appropriation Act 1809
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act for granting to His Majesty certain Sums of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain Monies therein-mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and nine; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation49 Geo. 3. c. 128
Dates
Royal assent20 June 1809
Commencement20 June 1809
Repealed10 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872 (No. 2)
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1809 (49 Geo. 3. c. 128)

1810s

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Appropriation Act 1810
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to His Majesty certain Sums of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned, for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and ten; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation50 Geo. 3. c. 115
Dates
Royal assent20 June 1810
  • The Appropriation Act 1810 (50 Geo. 3. c. 115)

Appropriation Act 1811
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to His Majesty certain Sums of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain; and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned, for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and eleven; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation51 Geo. 3. c. 117
Dates
Royal assent26 June 1811
Commencement26 June 1811
Repealed5 August 1873
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1873
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1811 (51 Geo. 3. c. 117)

Appropriation Act 1812
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to His Majesty certain Sums of Money out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and twelve; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation52 Geo. 3. c. 154
Dates
Royal assent28 July 1812
Commencement28 July 1812
Repealed5 August 1873
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1873]
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1812 (52 Geo. 3. c. 154)

Appropriation Act 1816
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for granting to His Majesty a certain Sum out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and sixteen; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation56 Geo. 3. c. 142
Dates
Royal assent2 July 1816
Commencement2 July 1816
Repealed5 August 1873
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1873
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1816 (56 Geo. 3. c. 142)

Appropriation Act 1817
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and seventeen, and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation57 Geo. 3. c. 132
Dates
Royal assent12 July 1817
Commencement12 July 1817
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1873
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1817 (57 Geo. 3. c. 132)

Appropriation Act 1818
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and eighteen.
Citation58 Geo. 3. c. 101
Dates
Royal assent10 June 1818
Commencement10 June 1818
Repealed5 August 1873
Other legislation
Relates toStatute Law Revision Act 1873
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1818 (58 Geo. 3. c. 101)

Appropriation Act 1819
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn act for applying certain Monies therein mentioned for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and nineteen; and for further appropriating the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation59 Geo. 3. c. 133
Dates
Royal assent13 July 1819
Commencement13 July 1819
Repealed5 August 1873
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1873
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1819 (59 Geo. 3. c. 133)

1820s

[edit]

1830s

[edit]

1840s

[edit]

Appropriation Act 1842
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund, and certain other Sums, to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and forty-two, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation5 & 6 Vict. c. 121
Dates
Royal assent12 August 1842
Text of statute as originally enacted

1850s

[edit]

Appropriation Act 1850
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund, and certain other Sums, to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty; and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation13 & 14 Vict. c. 107
Dates
Royal assent15 August 1850
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1850

Appropriation Act 1851
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund, and certain other Sums, to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one; and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation14 & 15 Vict. c. 101
Dates
Royal assent8 August 1851
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1851

Appropriation Act 1852
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund, and certain other Sums, to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation15 & 16 Vict. c. 82
Dates
Royal assent1 July 1852
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1852

Appropriation Act 1853
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Moans to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation16 & 17 Vict. c. 110
Dates
Royal assent20 August 1852
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1853

Appropriation Act 1854
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and certain other Sums to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent12 August 1854
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1854

Appropriation Act 1855
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation18 & 19 Vict. c. 129
Dates
Royal assent14 August 1855
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1855

Appropriation Act 1856
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent29 July 1856
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1856

Appropriation Act 1857
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent21 March 1857
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
Appropriation Act 1857
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent25 August 1857
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1857

Appropriation Act 1858
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to Apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent2 August 1858
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Relates toStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1858

Appropriation Act 1859
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent19 April 1859
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1859

Appropriation (No. 2) Act 1859
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine; and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Dates
Royal assent13 August 1859
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation (No. 2) Act 1859

1860s

[edit]

Appropriation Act 1860
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and sixty, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation23 & 24 Vict. c. 131
Dates
Royal assent28 August 1860
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1861
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation24 & 25 Vict. c. 103
Dates
Royal assent6 August 1861
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1862
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation25 & 26 Vict. c. 71
Dates
Royal assent7 August 1862
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1863
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation26 & 27 Vict. c. 99
Dates
Royal assent28 July 1863
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Act 1864
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation27 & 28 Vict. c. 73
Dates
Royal assent29 July 1864
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Act[6][7] (1864) (27 & 28 Vict. c. 73).[8] The bill for this act was the Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bill.[9] This act received royal assent on 29 July 1864.

Appropriation Act 1865
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year ending Thirty-first March One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation28 & 29 Vict. c. 123
Dates
Royal assent6 July 1865
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1866
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year ending Thirty-first March One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation29 & 30 Vict. c. 91
Dates
Royal assent10 August 1866
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1867
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year ending the Thirty-first Day of March One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation30 & 31 Vict. c. 120
Dates
Royal assent20 August 1867
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1868
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a Sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the Service of the Year ending the Thirty-first Day of March One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation31 & 32 Vict. c. 85
Dates
Royal assent31 July 1868
Repealed11 August 1875
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1869
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund and the Surplus of Ways and Means to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation32 & 33 Vict. c. 93
Dates
Royal assent11 August 1869
Repealed25 August 1833
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed

1870s

[edit]

Appropriation Act 1870
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation33 & 34 Vict. c. 96
Dates
Royal assent10 August 1870
Repealed
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1966
Status: Repealed

Appropriation Act 1871[13]
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation34 & 35 Vict. c. 89
Dates
Royal assent21 August 1871
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1871[13] (34 & 35 Vict. c. 89). This act received royal assent on 21 August 1871, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1872
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation35 & 36 Vict. c. 87
Dates
Royal assent10 August 1872
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1872[14] (35 & 36 Vict. c. 87). This act received royal assent on 10 August 1872. Section 6 was repealed by section 6 of the Appropriation Act 1877. The Appropriation Act 1872 was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1873
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation36 & 37 Vict. c. 79
Dates
Royal assent5 August 1873
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1873[15] (36 & 37 Vict. c. 79). This act received royal assent on 5 August 1873, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1874
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation37 & 38 Vict. c. 56
Dates
Royal assent7 August 1874
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1874[16] (37 & 38 Vict. c. 56). This act received royal assent on 7 August 1874, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1875
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation38 & 39 Vict. c. 78
Dates
Royal assent13 August 1875
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1875[17] (38 & 39 Vict. c. 78). This act received royal assent on 13 August 1875, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1876
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation39 & 40 Vict. c. 60
Dates
Royal assent15 August 1876
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1876[18] (39 & 40 Vict. c. 60). This act received royal assent on 15 August 1876, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1877
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation40 & 41 Vict. c. 61
Dates
Royal assent14 August 1877
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1877[19] (40 & 41 Vict. c. 61). This act received royal assent on 14 August 1877, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1878
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation41 & 42 Vict. c. 65
Dates
Royal assent16 August 1878
Repealed25 August 1883
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1883
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
  • The Appropriation Act 1878[20] (41 & 42 Vict. c. 65). This act received royal assent on 16 August 1878, and was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1883.

Appropriation Act 1879
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to apply a sum out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending the thirty-first day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighty, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.
Citation42 & 43 Vict. c. 51
Dates
Royal assent15 August 1879
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1894
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

1880s

[edit]

Appropriation Act 1880
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Citation43 Vict. c. 13
Dates
Royal assent24 March 1880
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1894
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1880[22] (43 Vict. c. 13). This act received royal assent on 24 March 1880, and was repealed by the First Schedule to the Statute Law Revision Act 1894.

Appropriation Act 1880 (Session 2)
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Citation43 & 44 Vict. c. 40
Dates
Royal assent7 September 1880
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1894
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1880 (Session 2)[23] (43 & 44 Vict. c. 40). This act received royal assent on 7 September 1880, and was repealed by the First Schedule to the Statute Law Revision Act 1894.

Appropriation Act 1881
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Citation44 & 45 Vict. c. 56
Dates
Royal assent27 August 1881
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1894
Status: Repealed
  • The Appropriation Act 1881[24] (44 & 45 Vict. c. 56). This act received royal assent on 27 August 1881, and was repealed by the First Schedule to the Statute Law Revision Act 1894.

Appropriation Act 1882
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Citation45 & 46 Vict. c. 71
Dates
Royal assent18 August 1882
  • The Appropriation Act 1882[25] (45 & 46 Vict. c. 71). This act received royal assent on 18 August 1882.

Appropriation Act 1883
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Citation46 & 47 Vict. c. 50
Dates
Royal assent25 August 1883
  • The Appropriation Act 1883[26] (46 & 47 Vict. c. 50). This act received royal assent on 25 August 1883.

20th century

[edit]

21st century

[edit]

2010s

[edit]

Appropriation Act 2010
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to authorise the use of resources for the service of the years ending with 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2010 and to apply certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the year ending with 31 March 2010; and to appropriate the supply authorised in this Session of Parliament for the service of the years ending with 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2010.
Citation2010 c. 5
Dates
Royal assent18 March 2010
Status: Spent
[Appropriation Act 2010 Text of statute as originally enacted]
  • The Appropriation Act 2010 (c. 5)

Appropriation Act 2011
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to authorise the use of resources for the service of the years ending with 31 March 2010 and 31 March 2011 and to apply certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the years ending with 31 March 2010 and 31 March 2011; and to appropriate the supply authorised in this Session of Parliament for the service of the years ending with 31 March 2010 and 31 March 2011.
Citation2011 c. 2
Dates
Royal assent16 March 2011
Status: Spent
[Appropriation Act 2011 Text of statute as originally enacted]
  • The Appropriation Act 2011 (c. 2)

Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2012
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2012 and 31 March 2013; to authorise the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for those years and for the year ending with 31 March 2011; and to appropriate the supply authorised by this Act for the years ending with 31 March 2011 and 31 March 2012.
Citation2012 c. 1
Dates
Royal assent8 March 2012
Status: Spent
[Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2012 Text of statute as originally enacted]
  • The Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2012 (c. 1)

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2012
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2013; to authorise both the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund and the application of income for that year; and to appropriate the supply authorised for that year by this Act and by the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2012.
Citation2012 c. 13
Dates
Royal assent17 July 2012
Status: Spent
[Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2012 Text of statute as originally enacted]
  • The Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2012 (c. 13)

Northern Ireland

[edit]

A number of Appropriation Acts were passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland.[27] A number of Appropriation Orders in Council have been made for Northern Ireland.[28]

See also

[edit]

Notss

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Start of session.
  2. ^ a b c d e f The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793.

References

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Appropriation Act

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
An Appropriation Act is a statute enacted by the to authorize the issuance of public funds from the and the utilization of departmental resources, strictly allocating them to the specific services and purposes outlined in the approved Supply Estimates for a designated financial period. These acts form the legal capstone of the parliamentary supply process, which begins with tabling of Estimates—detailed projections of expenditure—and culminates in resolutions approving those Estimates, ensuring that no public money is spent without explicit legislative sanction. The core principles of appropriation mandate that funds designated for one service cannot be redirected to another, that the appropriated sums represent maximum limits rather than entitlements, and that expenditures must pertain to costs incurred within the of authorization, thereby enforcing fiscal discipline through administrative and accounting oversight. In practice, Appropriation Acts arise from Supply and Appropriation Bills introduced after approval of supply motions; these bills, classified as Money Bills under the Acts, proceed with abbreviated scrutiny—typically no stage and formal readings without —to expedite enactment while preserving the ' primacy in financial matters. This mechanism underscores the constitutional bedrock of over the executive's purse, a rooted in limiting expenditures and preventing unauthorized draws on public revenues, though modern iterations focus on annual main estimates, supplementary adjustments, and votes on account to accommodate fiscal realities.

Constitutional Role and Purpose

Definition and Core Function

The Appropriation Act constitutes a key legislative instrument in the United Kingdom's , serving as an annual or supplementary that grants statutory authority for the government to utilize resources and withdraw specified sums from the , strictly in accordance with the Supply Estimates previously approved by the . These acts typically cover the financial year ending 31 March, encompassing main estimates for routine operations and supplementary estimates for unforeseen adjustments, thereby operationalizing parliamentary resolutions on public expenditure. At its core, the Act enforces the constitutional of parliamentary control over the "purse strings," mandating that no public funds may be expended by the executive without explicit legislative sanction, a principle derived from the historical evolution of to curb monarchical or executive fiscal autonomy. This mechanism ensures accountability by limiting spending to voted purposes, prohibiting unauthorized reallocations or overruns, and thereby upholding the supremacy of in fiscal matters over the executive branch. The Appropriation Act differs fundamentally from Consolidated Fund Acts, which authorize the broad issuance of monies from the —a central account holding public revenues—without delineating specific uses, often covering provisional or total sums in advance of detailed scrutiny. In contrast, Appropriation Acts appropriate those issued funds to precise departmental objectives and limits, incorporating schedules that mirror the approved estimates and impose statutory caps on resource use, thus providing the targeted legal basis for expenditure that Consolidated Fund legislation alone cannot supply.

Historical Foundations in Parliamentary Sovereignty

The foundations of appropriation acts in English parliamentary practice trace to the of 1688–1689, which shifted financial authority from to as a direct response to monarchical overreach in taxation and spending. Prior to this, intermittent parliamentary sessions allowed kings like Charles I to rule without regular supply grants during periods such as the from 1629 to 1640, resulting in fiscal improvisation through prerogative levies like , which fueled public discontent and contributed to the by enabling unchecked executive borrowing and expenditure. The Revolution entrenched the principle of "no supply without redress of grievances," a 17th-century tactic where conditioned funding on addressing executive abuses, thereby establishing causal mechanisms for legislative oversight of public finances. The Bill of Rights 1689 formalized this control by declaring illegal any levying of money by the "without grant of , for longer time, or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted," while mandating frequent parliamentary sessions to ensure annual supply votes, preventing the accumulation of unappropriated revenues that had previously enabled royal autonomy. This statutory framework addressed empirical failures of prior systems, where grants—often lump-sum revenues without specified uses—permitted diversions, as seen in the fiscal strains of the 1690s wars against , exacerbated by incomplete accounting and leading to defaults on obligations. In response, the in 1690 created the Commission of Public Accounts to expenditures and pioneered the insertion of appropriation clauses into supply bills, explicitly earmarking funds for particular services like naval or needs rather than general use. This evolution from discretionary grants to itemized allocations curbed executive discretion, with early acts in the 1690s demonstrating Parliament's intent to enforce through statutory restrictions, thereby mitigating the risks of fiscal crises rooted in opaque monarchical finance. Such practices laid the groundwork for in budgeting, prioritizing verifiable allocation over prerogative spending.

Legislative Framework

Supply Estimates Process

The Supply Estimates process constitutes the preparatory mechanism by which government departments formulate and justify detailed forecasts of their resource requirements, enabling parliamentary authorization via the subsequent Appropriation Act. Departments submit these estimates to , which aggregates them into coherent documents delineating planned expenditures against anticipated income, with forecasts required to be evidence-based and calibrated to actual prior-year outturns to mitigate risks of overestimation or unchecked escalation. This linkage to historical data enforces a causal grounding, where deviations from past performance must be explicitly rationalized, countering tendencies toward optimistic budgeting that could erode fiscal restraint. Main Supply Estimates, encompassing the primary annual spending blueprint, are typically presented to the House of Commons shortly after the financial year commences on 1 April, often in July to align with post-Budget refinements; for instance, the 2024-25 Main Estimates were laid on 17 July 2024, seeking authority for resources up to £1.2 trillion in gross terms. These documents break down expenditures into Departmental Expenditure Limits (DELs)—controllable, policy-driven outlays such as salaries and operations—and Annually Managed Expenditure (AMEs), comprising volatile, demand-driven items like social security benefits, with totals for 2024-25 projecting DELs at approximately £450 billion and AMEs at £650 billion. Appropriations-in-aid, including fees, levies, and other departmental revenues estimated at over £100 billion annually, are offset against gross requirements to determine net Supply needs, ensuring only verifiable income streams are credited. Supplementary Estimates follow in the autumn, usually , to accommodate mid-year adjustments for emergencies, policy changes, or forecast variances; the 2024-25 Supplementary Estimates, for example, sought additional authority for items like increased welfare demands amid economic pressures. Departments must provide memoranda justifying revisions, cross-referenced to original Main Estimates and outturn data, to demonstrate necessity and realism. Scrutiny emphasizes empirical verification over perfunctory endorsement, with Main and Supplementary Estimates referred to relevant departmental select committees for targeted of forecast , often involving hearings on variances from prior outturns exceeding 5-10% thresholds. The Treasury Committee assesses macroeconomic coherence across estimates, probing for inflationary biases or inefficiencies, while the leverages audits of previous-year underspends or overruns—such as the £10 billion in unspent reported in 2023-24—to challenge projections and prevent habitual expansions without corresponding productivity gains. This committee-based process, supplemented by Estimates Days for floor debates, fosters accountability, though critics note its limitations in binding power, as rarely rejects estimates outright, underscoring reliance on transparent, data-driven submissions to maintain spending discipline.

Enactment Procedure and Timeline

The Supply and , which becomes the Appropriation Act upon enactment, is introduced in the immediately following the approval of relevant Supply resolutions by that chamber. As a government bill, it undergoes expedited Commons stages, typically with Second Reading the day after introduction, followed by programmed debate under a timetable motion that limits time for committee scrutiny and remaining stages to ensure swift passage. This guillotine procedure restricts amendments, focusing Commons review on the substantive estimates schedule while prioritizing fiscal urgency over extensive deliberation. Upon completion of Commons stages, the Speaker of the certifies the bill as a under section 2 of the if it contains only provisions for the imposition, collection, or management of public revenue or for authorizing expenditure from the . This certification, endorsed on the bill, restricts the to one month's consideration without power to amend or , after which it returns to the Commons for any necessary resolution, enabling prompt . In practice, Lords engagement is minimal, often involving no substantive changes to avoid procedural friction. For the main annual Appropriation Act covering the bulk of departmental spending, enactment targets completion by late July to align with the commencing 1 , though provisional spending authority from earlier acts bridges any delay. The Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2025, for instance, progressed from introduction on 25 June 2025 through all stages by 26 June, received Lords consideration without amendment, and obtained on 21 July 2025. Similar timelines apply to supplementary acts, such as the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2025, enacted earlier to adjust estimates mid-year.

Structure and Content

Typical Format and Clauses

Appropriation Acts follow a standardized legislative format to precisely authorize government resource use and funding issuance, ensuring alignment with parliamentary supply estimates. The act commences with a short title, such as "Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act [year]", followed by provisions commencing from the fiscal year's start, typically 1 . Key clauses delineate total resource limits, cash authorizations, and appropriations, with detailed schedules appending departmental allocations. Section 1 authorizes the use of resources up to a specified aggregate for the service of the year ending 31 March of the following , distinguishing between current expenditure (e.g., operational costs) and (e.g., investments). For instance, the 2025 Act authorizes net resources totaling £607,769,235,000 for the year ending 31 March 2026, comprising £512,558,615,000 for current purposes and £95,210,620,000 for capital. Section 2 permits the issuance of sums from the to cover these expenditures, capped at an equivalent aggregate, such as £486,936,719,000 under the 2025 Act. Sections 3 and 4 appropriate the authorized resources and cash sums to specific departmental votes, cross-referencing schedules that itemize net amounts by department, including breakdowns for , Annually Managed Expenditure (AME), and non-budget items. These schedules specify, for example, the Department of Health and Social Care's allocation of £186,871,082,000 in current resources and £13,880,577,000 in capital for 2025-26. Section 5 regulates the use of income, including appropriations in aid (receipts offsetting expenditure, such as service fees or recoveries), subject to Treasury-determined limits on , AME, and other categories. Supplementary Appropriation Acts, often titled "Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act", adapt this format to revise prior-year approvals, incorporating adjustments for excesses, reductions, or unspent balances from supplementary estimates, alongside a vote on account for the ensuing year. These differ by including provisions for mid-year revisions rather than full main estimates, such as authorizing additional resources beyond initial caps while repealing outdated limits. Final clauses cover interpretation, extent (typically the ), and short title, ensuring the act's technical precision in fiscal allocation without broader policy directives.

Relation to Consolidated Fund Acts

Consolidated Fund Acts authorize the to issue specific sums from the , the central government account holding public revenues, typically on a monthly or interim basis to cover immediate expenditure needs until full annual authorization is in place. These acts stem from parliamentary Supply resolutions and ensure that no money is withdrawn without legislative approval, adhering to the principle established post-Glorious Revolution that the executive cannot spend without consent. For instance, acts like the Consolidated Fund Act 2023 released funds for the financial year beginning April 2023, bridging gaps before main estimates are finalized. Appropriation Acts complement this by allocating the issued funds to precise purposes and services as detailed in the Supply Estimates, preventing the executive from diverting monies to unapproved ends. While Consolidated Fund Acts enable the raw withdrawal—often a lump sum up to the anticipated total expenditure—Appropriation Acts impose strict limits on usage, such as for departmental programs or capital projects, enforceable under the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1866 and subsequent fiscal laws. This dual mechanism maintains traceability of taxpayer funds, as evidenced by historical requirements for annual re-authorization to curb executive overreach. The interdependence is causal: funds issued via Consolidated Fund Acts remain unspendable for specific objects without appropriation, relying on limited continuing charges (e.g., standing services like debt interest) or Votes on Account for provisional spending. Delays in Appropriation Acts, such as those in 2001 due to election timing, have necessitated excess votes or supplementary provisions to avoid administrative disruptions, underscoring the acts' role in fiscal discipline. In contemporary practice, since the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011, Supply and Appropriation Bills often consolidate both functions into a single instrument for main estimates, streamlining enactment while preserving the separation's intent. This framework counters potential misuse by requiring explicit parliamentary linkage between revenue issuance and targeted outlays.

Operational Effects

Authorization of Government Expenditure

The Appropriation Act provides statutory authority for government departments to utilize resources and issue payments from the up to the limits and purposes outlined in the parliamentary Supply Estimates. This authorization takes effect upon , typically in July for the main estimates covering the forthcoming financial year ending 31 March, thereby enabling routine operational spending without prior approvals. For instance, the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2025 authorizes resource usage and fund issuance specifically for the year ending 31 March 2026, binding expenditures to the detailed votes for each department. Departments draw funds strictly per their allocated votes, which specify net resource outturns, capital expenditures, and ambits defining permissible activities; any deviation risks invalidation pending further legislative sanction. The scale of this authorization is substantial, encompassing over £1.1 trillion in combined resource and capital spending for the 2025-26 financial year as per the Main Estimates, yet it mandates alignment with audited financial outcomes verified by the National Audit Office. This framework ties spending to verifiable parliamentary estimates rather than open-ended entitlements, with annual departmental accounts required to demonstrate compliance. To address excesses or unforeseen needs, departments must seek supplementary estimates during the year, enacted via additional Appropriation Acts, or retrospective excess votes for overspends identified post-year-end. Such breaches—exceeding vote limits or straying from ambits—trigger mandatory review by the Committee of Public Accounts, which examines root causes and recommends corrective measures to , enforcing accountability through potential adjustments in future allocations. This process underscores causal constraints on expenditure, as unauthorized outlays lack legal cover until explicitly approved, thereby prioritizing fiscal limits over unchecked expansion. The Appropriation Act serves as the statutory authorization for government departments to incur expenditures from the , rendering any spending beyond its specified limits unlawful under . This binding effect constrains the , which must adhere to the Act's resource limits and cash requirements, with non-compliance potentially constituting a breach of principles established since the . Judicial review of such Acts remains exceptional due to the political nature of supply, though courts could intervene on grounds if expenditures demonstrably exceed the Act's scope or fail to align with approved Supply Estimates. The Act operates within a broader fiscal governance framework, including the Budget Responsibility Act 2011 (as amended in 2024), which mandates the Office for Budget Responsibility to assess long-term sustainability and imposes duties on the to adhere to fiscal rules such as balancing the current budget over a five-year horizon. While Appropriation Acts provide annual, granular approvals, they intersect with these rules by operationalizing short-term spending against multi-year targets; deviations risk undermining the Charter for Budget Responsibility's emphasis on , though enforcement relies primarily on parliamentary oversight rather than direct judicial compulsion. Fiscally, the Act facilitates deficit financing through gilt issuance when authorized outlays surpass revenues, with the Debt Management Office managing borrowing to cover shortfalls drawn from the . Post-2008 trends illustrate this dynamic: public sector net borrowing surged from near balance to averages exceeding 5% of GDP annually through the , reaching 6.0% of GDP in 2023 per IMF estimates, reflecting entrenched deficits amid economic shocks and policy responses. The annual reset mechanism of Appropriation Acts has been critiqued for enabling incremental budgeting that prioritizes immediate needs over structural reforms, contributing to net debt climbing to approximately 98% of GDP by 2021-22 and sustaining pressures on debt sustainability as highlighted in OBR analyses. This pattern underscores how repeated appropriations without binding multi-decade constraints can exacerbate short-termism, with IMF assessments noting risks to long-term fiscal stability from such cyclical approvals amid volatile global conditions.

Historical Evolution

18th and 19th Century Origins

In the , Appropriation Acts emerged as mechanisms to authorize specific expenditures from the , primarily driven by the demands of ongoing conflicts such as the (1740–1748) and the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), which necessitated substantial naval and military outlays. These acts granted defined sums for designated purposes, ensuring parliamentary control over spending rather than blanket approvals, a practice rooted in the post-1688 financial oversight traditions. For instance, during the , the Appropriation Act 1795 (c. 120) allocated funds for civil , , , and ordnance services, reflecting the era's focus on wartime necessities amid escalating national debt. The early 19th century marked a transition from ad hoc wartime funding to more regular peacetime mechanisms, influenced by the fiscal strains of the (1793–1815), which saw annual government appropriations rise significantly to finance military efforts. Post-1815, with demobilization and economic adjustment, Parliament extended the principle of limiting army funding to 12 months—established after the —to civil expenditures by 1830, laying the groundwork for annual supply cycles to prevent executive overreach and promote fiscal discipline. This shift emphasized predictability, with Appropriation Acts increasingly tied to estimates presented in advance, reducing reliance on supplementary grants and fostering in peacetime budgeting. Mid-century reforms solidified annuality and scrutiny, culminating in the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1866, enacted under Chancellor , which mandated departments to prepare annual appropriation accounts detailing adherence to parliamentary votes. The Act established the Comptroller and to audit these accounts and report to via the of Public Accounts, formalized in 1861, enabling detection of surpluses or deficiencies and curbing unappropriated fund hoarding—previously possible under looser pre-1862 practices. Gladstone's advocacy for minimal expenditure and waste reduction, evident in his philosophy, empirically lowered administrative inefficiencies, as appropriation accounts revealed and rectified variances between voted and actual spending, enhancing causal oversight of fiscal flows.

20th Century Adaptations

The Parliament Act 1911 significantly streamlined the passage of Appropriation Acts by classifying them as Money Bills, thereby preventing the House of Lords from vetoing or delaying them beyond one month, which expedited government funding during fiscal pressures such as those preceding World War I. This reform ensured that annual supply estimates, including those for defense and wartime preparations, could proceed with Commons primacy, maintaining the core principle of parliamentary control over expenditure while adapting to the need for rapid authorization. During , Appropriation Acts incorporated substantial supplementary estimates to fund military mobilization, with rising from approximately 15% of GDP pre-war to 25% by the conflict's end, reflecting expanded provisions for munitions, troop support, and emergency requisitions under acts like the Defence of the Realm Act 1914. further amplified this pattern, as Appropriation Acts authorized peak expenditures reaching 49.7% of GDP in 1943 through supplementary votes for wartime production and , yet retained annual scrutiny to align with pre-existing fiscal accountability norms. Post-1945, the establishment of the under the Labour government, including of key industries like coal, railways, and steel via specific acts, alongside the , markedly inflated annual estimates appropriated through these bills, driving total public spending from around 27% of GDP in the pre-war decade to 42% in the subsequent one. This expansion sustained core mechanisms of estimate-based authorization but shifted focus toward , with critiques emerging that it facilitated persistent growth in commitments without proportional revenue offsets. The 1961 Plowden Report on the control of public expenditure prompted adaptations like forward-looking Public Expenditure Surveys, aiming to integrate multi-year planning into Appropriation processes for better alignment of estimates with economic capacity, though spending as a share of GDP stabilized yet remained elevated at 35-40% through the mid-century. These reforms preserved parliamentary oversight but were later faulted for embedding incrementalism that arguably enabled unchecked escalation in welfare and nationalized sector outlays.

21st Century Reforms and Recent Acts

In the early 2000s, the advanced public through the implementation of resource accounting and budgeting (RAB), fully effective by 2001-02, which shifted from cash-based to accounting for appropriations, enabling consolidated Whole of Accounts (WGA) to provide a comprehensive view of finances and liabilities. This reform addressed fragmentation in departmental reporting, improving transparency in appropriation accuracy, though ONS data later revealed persistent variances between estimated and outturn expenditures, often exceeding 5-10% due to demand-led pressures in areas like welfare. Following the , the coalition government established the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in 2010 via the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011, mandating independent scrutiny of fiscal forecasts and appropriation plans to enforce measures, including multi-year expenditure limits (DELs) that constrained resource and capital spending while allowing annually managed expenditure (AME) for volatile items like debt interest. Post-2010 OBR assessments highlighted how DEL controls reduced public spending growth to an average of 1.2% annually in real terms through 2019, though AME rose sharply from unforeseen liabilities, contributing to deficits averaging 4% of GDP. The prompted extensive use of supplementary estimates, with multiple rounds in -21 authorizing over £100 billion in additional resources for health, schemes, and business support, part of a broader £370 billion government response package that strained appropriation frameworks and led to outturn variances of up to 20% in affected departments per ONS accounts. These acts, such as the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) (No. 2) Act , exemplified adaptations while underscoring limits of pre-planned appropriations, as OBR forecasts adjusted for £200 billion+ in one-off supports. The Supply and Appropriation (Adjustments) Act 2022 authorized resource use and issues from the Consolidated Fund for the financial year ending 31 March 2023, serving as an example of recent supplementary adjustments. Recent acts maintain this structure amid fiscal pressures, with the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2025, receiving on 21 July 2025, authorizing £586 billion in resources for the ending 31 March 2026, split between £450 billion in (emphasizing controlled departmental spending) and £136 billion in AME, reflecting trends of DEL stability at 70-75% of total non-interest expenditure while AME volatility persists from pensions and . ONS outturn data for 2024-25 indicates appropriation estimates undershot actual current expenditure by £47 billion (9.3%), driven by higher-than-forecast AME, highlighting ongoing challenges in predictive accuracy despite OBR enhancements.

Regional and Special Cases

Provisions for Northern Ireland

Following the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and the subsequent devolution of powers under the , the assumed responsibility for appropriating funds for transferred (devolved) matters, such as health, education, and agriculture, through dedicated Northern Ireland Appropriation Acts. These acts authorize expenditures from the Consolidated Fund based on estimates approved by the Assembly at Stormont, marking a shift from pre-devolution centralized parliamentary control to regional fiscal autonomy for non-reserved functions. Annual acts, commencing with the Appropriation Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 for the financial year ending 31 March 2001, exemplify this process, specifying sums like £4,296,588,000 for services across departments. Reserved matters—encompassing areas like , defense, and certain fiscal policies such as corporation tax rates—remain under and oversight, with funding channeled through the primary Appropriation Act or specific Westminster legislation. The Government Resources and Accounts Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 establishes the statutory framework for this hybrid system, requiring Assembly scrutiny of devolved budgets while ensuring alignment for reserved expenditures to maintain macroeconomic stability. This bifurcation prevents undue centralized interference in devolved priorities but has necessitated intervention during periods of Assembly suspension, as seen in the prolonged Stormont collapse from 2017 to February 2024, when Westminster enacted proxy budgets like the Northern Ireland Budget Act 2023 to sustain public services. Empirical data indicate that these provisions correlate with elevated public spending in relative to , with identifiable expenditure per head reaching £15,371 in 2022-23—19% above the average of £12,925—driven by needs-based allocations for social security, , and historical conflict legacies rather than equivalent generation. Such disparities, while fostering localized accountability, underscore fiscal imbalances, as Northern Ireland's adjustments yield higher per-capita outlays than in (£12,625), (£14,759), or (£14,424), without corresponding devolved tax-raising powers for most categories. This structure promotes causal realism in addressing regional exigencies but invites scrutiny over long-term sustainability amid recurrent political instability.

Supplementary and Emergency Appropriations

Supplementary estimates allow the government to seek parliamentary authority for additional resources, capital, or cash beyond the main estimates, typically to address overspending, unforeseen circumstances, or reallocations to new purposes within the financial year. These are presented to via Supplementary Estimates documents, approved through Supply resolutions, and enacted in Appropriation Acts such as the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act. Anticipation provisions, embedded in the same adjustments acts, authorize provisional spending for the upcoming financial year before the main estimates are finalized, limited to a proportion—historically up to 45%—of the prior year's voted amounts to ensure continuity of services. For instance, the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2025, receiving on 12 March 2025, permitted resource use and fund issuance for years ending 31 March 2024, 2025, and 2026, including anticipatory amounts for 2025-26 expenditures. Such mechanisms provide fiscal flexibility but operate under guidance restricting them to genuine unforeseen needs, rather than routine budgeting failures. In emergencies, urgent supplementary appropriations enable rapid response funding, as seen in the where the (CJRS), supporting furloughed workers, required multiple supplementary estimates totaling approximately £70 billion for 11.7 million jobs by September 2021. Post-implementation audits by the National Audit Office revealed significant inefficiencies, including an estimated £4.3 billion in fraudulent or erroneous payments due to inadequate initial controls, though the scheme succeeded in averting widespread job losses amid lockdowns. Frequent reliance on these expedited processes, while necessary for crises, has drawn scrutiny for reduced parliamentary oversight compared to annual main estimates, potentially undermining long-term fiscal discipline by normalizing ad-hoc adjustments over predictive planning.

Controversies and Critiques

Challenges to Fiscal Discipline

The annual authorization of expenditure through Appropriation Acts, based on estimates presented to , has been critiqued for permitting significant variances between budgeted amounts and actual outturns, particularly in volatile Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) categories like welfare payments and debt servicing costs. These overruns arise from economic fluctuations, policy changes, and forecasting errors, with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) noting persistent challenges in accurately projecting AME due to its demand-driven nature. For example, public sector borrowing in the financial year ending March 2025 exceeded OBR forecasts by approximately £15 billion, reflecting broader patterns of fiscal slippage. Such discrepancies contribute to structural deficits, as the Acts provide flexibility for supplementary spending without immediate offsetting revenue measures. This mechanism has facilitated the normalization of deficits, with UK public sector net debt surpassing 100% of GDP by September 2024, up from around 40% in the early . Critics from fiscal conservative perspectives contend that Appropriation Acts enable a "spend now, tax later" dynamic, allowing governments to commit to repayment burdens without explicit voter-approved tax hikes, thereby eroding . This contrasts with pre-1970s fiscal practice, when UK policy emphasized balanced budgets over the economic cycle, with average deficits notably lower than the 3.7% of GDP seen since 1970-71, often achieved through spending restraint outside wartime or recessionary periods. The illustrates how loose appropriation processes exacerbate these issues: bank bailouts, funded via emergency supplementary estimates totaling an estimated £141 billion in direct costs and over £1 trillion in contingent liabilities, propelled debt sharply higher without corresponding growth offsets. Subsequent low productivity and annual GDP growth averaging under 1.5% since 2009 have been linked causally to elevated debt levels, which crowd out private investment via higher interest rates and constrain fiscal space for productive spending. from advanced economies, including the , shows that debt-to-GDP ratios above 90% correlate with reduced growth rates by 1 percentage point or more, underscoring how deficit-financed expansions via annual Acts hinder long-term dynamism.

Debates on Oversight and Transparency

The (PAC), in conjunction with the National Audit Office (NAO), holds primary responsibility for scrutinizing government expenditures authorized by Appropriation Acts, focusing on value for money through post hoc audits of departmental accounts. The NAO, independent of government, examines financial statements and issues reports that inform PAC inquiries, enabling parliamentary review of whether funds were used economically, efficiently, and effectively. However, this mechanism operates retrospectively, after monies have been drawn from the , affording limited pre-emptive influence to alter or block proposed spending during the Appropriation Act's passage. Empirical assessments reveal enforcement gaps in PAC recommendations, underscoring oversight limitations. Departments formally accept nearly 90% of PAC proposals, a higher rate than for other select committees, yet tracking data indicates only about 60% of these accepted recommendations achieve full , with the remainder stalled, partially addressed, or disregarded. This implementation shortfall, exceeding 30% in recent cohorts, stems from factors including departmental resistance, resource constraints, and insufficient follow-up mechanisms, as evidenced by longitudinal studies of over 600 recommendations from 2010–2012. Critics argue such patterns erode , as PAC lacks binding powers to compel action, relying instead on public reporting and Treasury Minutes to track progress, which often prioritize formal acceptance over substantive change. Transparency in Appropriation Act processes has improved with the online publication of Supply Estimates since the early , allowing public access to detailed departmental spending plans ahead of parliamentary approval. For instance, the 2010–11 Main Estimates, totaling £495.1 billion in expenditure, were disseminated digitally, aligning with broader transparency initiatives like monthly spend releases over £25,000. Nonetheless, the intricate of these estimates—encompassing , capital, and non-budgetary elements—has drawn criticism for hindering non-expert comprehension, with parliamentary analyses highlighting the need for simplified summaries and interactive tools to demystify fiscal without compromising detail. Debates on enhancing oversight reflect ideological divides, with left-leaning advocates prioritizing spending flexibility to accommodate dynamic needs, such as responses, over granular controls that might delay essential allocations. In contrast, right-leaning fiscal conservatives have pushed for augmented mechanisms, including proposals echoing line-item vetoes, to empower or the executive to excise specific appropriations deemed wasteful, citing U.S.-style models as benchmarks for curbing omnibus bills' opacity. These tensions underscore broader concerns that current arrangements, while procedurally robust, inadequately deter profligacy due to compressed debate timelines and reliance on executive-led estimates.

Political and Economic Criticisms

Critics of Appropriation Acts contend that they enable the executive branch to direct substantial public funds toward politically motivated initiatives, often with insufficient parliamentary scrutiny to prevent partisan allocation. For instance, during periods of devolved government instability in , such as the Stormont collapse from January 2017 to January 2020, the absence of a functioning executive delayed local budget approvals, necessitating direct intervention by the UK Parliament through emergency appropriation provisions to maintain like and spending. Similar delays recurred after the February 2022 suspension, where the Democratic Unionist Party's withdrawal from the Executive over post-Brexit trade arrangements halted routine appropriations until restoration in February 2024, exposing how political deadlocks can paralyze fiscal execution and amplify budgetary uncertainties. Economically, the expansive spending authorized by these acts linked to crowding out effects, where increased borrowing elevates rates and diverts capital from , potentially stifling and long-term growth. The Office for Budget Responsibility's projections illustrate this risk, forecasting net rising to 274% of GDP by the late under baseline assumptions without structural reforms, driven by persistent deficits funded through annual appropriations that exceed growth. Such trajectories heighten vulnerability to shocks, as higher servicing costs—projected to consume an increasing share of GDP—further constrain investment and contribute to fiscal fragility. Proponents highlight the acts' utility in acute crises, as during when supplementary appropriations, such as the Appropriation (No. 2) Act 1940, facilitated rapid resource mobilization for defense, enabling the to sustain wartime expenditures amid existential threats. Yet, data on prolonged spending expansions reveal correlations with inflationary pressures and ; for example, government outlays as a of GDP surged to 47% during the 2008-2009 recession and subsequent expansions, coinciding with elevated episodes and rates peaking at 8.5% in 2011, suggesting that unchecked appropriations beyond crisis needs erode economic dynamism rather than sustain it. These patterns align with broader empirical observations where fiscal indiscipline, enabled by routine acts, fosters dependency on public spending at the expense of private initiative.

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