Overview

This bill, the Northern Ireland Budget (No. 2) Bill, authorizes the spending of public funds in Northern Ireland for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019. It sets spending limits, allows borrowing, and repeals outdated legislation. The bill acts as a stand-in for a Northern Ireland Assembly budget given the absence of a functioning Assembly at the time.

Description

The bill authorizes the release of £8,907,660,000 from the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund for government spending during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. This sum is allocated to various departments and public bodies as detailed in Schedule 1. The Department of Finance is also granted borrowing power of up to £4,453,830,000, repayable by March 31, 2019. The bill further allows the use of £9,934,658,000 in resources (excluding accruing resources) and sets limits on the use of accruing resources, as outlined in Schedule 2. Crucially, the bill states that its authorizations are to have the same legal effect as if passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly, addressing the absence of a functioning Assembly.

Schedule 1: Allocation of Funds

Schedule 1 details the specific allocations for each Northern Ireland government department and public body, covering areas such as agriculture, communities, economy, education, health, infrastructure, and justice. Examples include funding for schools, hospitals, infrastructure projects, and social security benefits.

Schedule 2: Resource Authorizations and Limits

Schedule 2 provides a detailed breakdown of authorized resource usage and limits on accruing resources for each government department and agency, again specifying purposes for these resources.

Government Spending

The bill authorizes a total expenditure of £8,907,660,000 from the Consolidated Fund and allows for borrowing up to £4,453,830,000. Schedule 1 and 2 contain further detailed breakdowns of proposed spending and resource utilization.

Groups Affected

The bill affects a wide range of groups in Northern Ireland:

• Government Departments and Public Bodies: Receive funding allocations based on the specifics within Schedule 1.
• Citizens receiving benefits: Individuals receiving social security benefits, pensions, or other government support are directly impacted by the funding for relevant departments.
• Businesses and Industries: Affected by funding decisions relating to economic development, support for specific sectors (agriculture, tourism etc.) and business regulations.
• Public Service Employees: The bill covers pension and superannuation provisions affecting employees in various public service sectors.

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