SUPPLEMENTARY VOTE ON ACCOUNT 2000-01

A Supplementary Vote on Account totalling a token £1,000 was presented to the House of Commons today.

The purpose of a Vote on Account is to provide funds for existing services to continue during the period from the start of the new financial year on 1 April until Parliament has approved the 2000-01 Main Estimates, which will be given legislative force in the Appropriation Act (usually passed in late July).

The amount sought in a Vote on Account is generally based on a standard proportion (45 per cent) of the amount voted so far for the corresponding services in the current financial year. It does not therefore indicate the expected level of expenditure in the following year. Provision for next year's expenditure will be contained in the Main Estimates for 2000-01, due to be published in April 2000.

The purpose of the Supplementary Vote on Account on this occasion is to draw Parliament's attention to the intention to use Vote on Account provision for the new service of the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate to be carried on the HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor Vote.