Grants on account XXII. Part I. Appropriation Act having been passed.1 On the occasion Chapter When, owing to the course of events, grants voted on 556, inci Supplementary grants.-A supplementary estimate may be presented either for a further grant to a service already sanctioned by Parliament, in addition to the sum already demanded for the current financial year, or for a grant caused by a fresh occasion for expenditure that has arisen. since the presentation of the sessional estimates, such as expenditure newly imposed upon the executive government See also p. by statute, or to meet the cost created by an unexpected dental emergency, such as an immediate addition to an existing charges, service, or the purchase of land, or of a work of art. Supplementary estimates for the army and navy services Debate on a supplewere presented during the session of 1884-5, to meet mentary increased expenditure caused by operations in Egypt and grant, see South Africa, and to provide for an increase of the ranks of the army. This method of placing before Parliament. On the advice of Mr. Pitt in 1784, and of Lord Grey in 1831. The Commons, in 1784, resolved that the persons who acted on supply grants, unsanctioned by an Appropriation Act, would be guilty of a high crime and misdemeanour, 39 269 C. J. 18. 449; 111 ib. 172. p. 621. XXII. Part I. Chapter the demand for a supply created by that occasion, was adopted in preference to a vote of credit (see p. 554), because a fairly definite estimate could be formed of the amount that would be required, and of the general heads under which that expenditure would fall.1 mental an of ex The need for a supplementary grant to an existing Departservice is not infrequently caused by the system in force to ticipation ensure the control of Parliament over public expenditure. penditure. To provide for the early presentation of the annual estimates, the departments are obliged to compute in the month of November their anticipated expenditure for the ensuing financial year, dating from the coming 1st April. Fallibility must attend calculations which range over sixteen months in advance; and as too large a demand for money is a grave departmental error, the official tendency is to make the demand too small. If the lesser error occurs, to avoid the still greater evil of excess expenditure, recourse of necessity must be had to a supplementary grant.2 Excess grants.-An estimate for an excess grant arises when a department has, by means of advances from the civil contingencies fund, or out of funds derived from "extra receipts," carried expenditure upon a service beyond the amount granted to that service, during the financial year for which the grant was made. The title of this class. of estimate attests the nature of the grants; and to place on record a permanent disapproval of these departmental 1 285 H. D. 3 s. 672. 873. The same course was adopted in connection with the South African War (1899), 154 C. J. 435; 155 ib. 47. 50, &c. 2 In consequence of the difficulty experienced in getting the supplementary estimates voted in session 1901 a revised estimate stating in one sum the supplementary amount still required for civil services for the year ending 31st March, 1901, was presented, following the form used in the case of the army and navy supplementary estimates and the vote on account. This change in the form of the supplementary estimates for civil services was dis- XXII. Part I. excesses, the Commons resolved, 30th March, 1849, that Chapter Army and Demands for excess grants, having been first brought Grant of a vote of credit.-Unexpected demands upon the resources of the United Kingdom for the defence of the empire, or for a warlike expedition, which, on account of See also the magnitude or indefiniteness of the service, cannot be tary grants, 1 104 C. J. 190. 2 On two occasions, in order to give facilities for further discussion, excess votes have not been taken until a late date in the session, 104 supplemen p. 552. XXII. Part I. Chapter stated with the detail given in an ordinary estimate, are laid before Parliament by an application, based on an estimate of the total sum required, for a vote of credit.1 Application of the Sums obtained upon a vote of credit are, like other grants dated Fund, of supply, available solely during the financial year when see p. 592. the vote was made.2 Consoli Committees on excep see p. 630. tional Exceptional grants.-An exceptional grant may be re- Exceptional ex- quired to meet the cost of an imperial undertaking which charges. penditure, forms no part of the current service of the year, such as the 20,000,000l. granted to facilitate the abolition of slavery in the British Colonies; loans to foreign countries, and to Ireland; or the grant for the purchase of the Suez Canal shares. Demands also for pecuniary aid are made by a Reception message from the sovereign, bearing the sign manual; the Messages of royal messages, object of these messages being usually to obtain a grant for Crown. the maintenance of the dignity and well-being of the Crown,* or for the reward of men who have rendered distinguished service to the empire.5 p. 445. from the on ex grants. These demands for exceptional grants are brought before Procedure Parliament either by a resolution proposed in a committee ceptional of the whole house, appointed to sit on a future day, for that purpose (see p. 559), or by the presentation of an estimate, according to the nature of the demand. A grant Committee based upon an exceptional demand, or a royal message, may on a mes- be voted either by the committee of the whole house that is appointed to consider the matter, or wholly or partially chair, see by the committee of supply. For instance, the grant for sage, question put from the p. 380. 1 1856, 111 C. J. 269; 1884, 140 ib. 173, &c. The practice of demanding a vote of credit by a message from the Crown, has, since 1854, 109 ib. 432, been discontinued. 2 285 H. D. 3 s. 875. West India Relief, 1832, 87 C. J. 452; Slavery, 20,000,000l. grant, 1833, 88 ib. 482; Sardinia and Turkish Loans, 1855 and 1856, 110 ib. 142. 406; 111 ib. 273; Fortifications and Works, 1860, 1862, 1863, and 1867, 115 ib. 403. 441, &c. 43 L. J. 566; 86 C. J. 719; 156 ib. 60; Duke of Cambridge, 1850, 105 ib. 539; Princess Royal, 1857, 5 Sir H. Havelock, 1857, 113 ib. 355. 112 ib. 153; 121 ib. 99; 144 ib. Incidental charges. militia and reserve forces. 1 XXII. Part I. the emancipation of the negro was voted in a committee; Chapter The grants voted in the committee of supply are dealt Grants and charges not based on the annual estimates.Incidental charges necessary to carry on the public service, which are not of the nature of the annual supplies, are voted every session, upon the recommendation signified by a minister of the Crown (see p. 559). Usually these charges See also p. are for salaries and other expenses caused by the imposition 552, supof novel duties upon the executive government by the grants. legislation of the session. plementary to be sum Messages, Messages from the sovereign also are sent to inform Parliament Parliament, when an emergency occasions the calling moned p out for service, of the militia, and the army and militia 45. reserve forces. The army reserve messages are communicated pursuant to statute; the messages regarding the militia are communicated in accordance with the constitutional principle, that warning should be given to Parliament of events which must inflict an increased charge upon the people. These messages are, according to usage, referred to the consideration of a committee of the whole house. 1 88 C. J. 383. 2 Suez Canal shares, 131 ib. 55. 1815, 70 ib. 399; 1854, 109 ib. 242; 1878, 133 ib. 156; 1882, 137 ib. 399; 1885, 140 ib. 51. 124; 1899, 154 ib. 432; 30 & 31 Vict. cc. 110, 111, ss. 10. 8; 45 & 46 Vict. c. 48, s. 12; 45 & 46 Vict. c. 49, s. 18. |