AConsolidated Fund Act is anact of theParliament of the United Kingdom passed to allow, like anAppropriation Act, theTreasury to issue funds out of theConsolidated Fund.[1]
The typical structure of such an act begins with thelong title, which defines which financial years the act applies to. This is followed by a preamble and then theenacting clause:[2]
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 and the passing of theConsolidated Fund Act 2001, an older form of preamble was used:[2][3][4]
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:—
If, as most of the acts do, the legislation covers twofiscal years the legislation's first two sections will contain the amounts to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund for each particular financial year. The third section of the act defines itsshort title. Typically two or three consolidated fund acts are passed each calendar year.[1]
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to unite and consolidate into One Fund all the Public Revenues of Great Britain and Ireland, and to provide for the Application thereof to the General Service of the United Kingdom. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 56 Geo. 3. c. 98 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 1 July 1816 |
| Commencement | 1 July 1816[b] |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Consolidated Fund Act 1816 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, fromlegislation.gov.uk. | |
A Consolidated Fund Act normally becomes spent on the conclusion of the financial year to which it relates.[5] However, theConsolidated Fund Act 1816[a] (56 Geo. 3. c. 98) is still in force, since it combined the consolidated funds of Great Britain and Ireland into one consolidated fund of the United Kingdom.[6]
| Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1873[c] | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision for the Redemption of divers permanent Charges on the Consolidated Fund and on the Votes of Parliament. |
| Citation | 36 & 37 Vict. c. 57 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 28 July 1873 |
| Commencement | 28 July 1873[b] |
| Repealed | 22 July 2004 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 |
| Relates to | Constitutional Reform Act 2005 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1873 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, fromlegislation.gov.uk. | |
| Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1883 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to amend the Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1873. |
| Citation | 46 & 47 Vict. c. 1 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 20 March 1883 |
| Commencement | 20 March 1883[b] |
| Repealed | 22 July 2004 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1873 |
| Amended by | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1883 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, fromlegislation.gov.uk. | |
The Consolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Acts 1873 and 1883 was thecollective title of theConsolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1873 (36 & 37 Vict. c. 57) and theConsolidated Fund (Permanent Charges Redemption) Act 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. 1).[7]
| Consolidated Fund Measure (Northern Ireland) 1974 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | A Measure to apply certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the years ending on 31st March 1974 and 31st March 1975. |
| Citation | 1974 c. 1 (N.I.) |
| Territorial extent | Northern Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 26 March 1974 |
TheConsolidated Fund Measure (Northern Ireland) 1974 (c. 1 (NI)) was a measure of theNorthern Ireland Assembly. See further section 5(1) of theAppropriation (Northern Ireland) Order 1974 (SI 1974/1266) (NI 1).[8]