Payments into National Insurance Fund out of appropriated money
4.—(1) In this Article—
“the Administration Act” means the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992();
“the Department” means the Department of Health and Social Services;
“estimated benefit expenditure”, in relation to a financial year, means the amount estimated by the Department, before the beginning of that financial year, to be that of the aggregate of the amounts that may be expected to be paid out of the National Insurance Fund in that financial year—
(a)
under paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of section 143(1) of the Administration Act, and
(b)
under section 42(2) of the Contracts of Employment and Redundancy Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 1965() and Articles 42(1) and 43(1) of the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1976();
“the National Insurance Fund” means the Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund.
(2) During the tax year 1993-94 there shall be paid into the National Insurance Fund out of money appropriated by Measure such amounts as the Department may determine, not exceeding in aggregate 20 per cent. of estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending in that tax year.
(3) If, before the beginning of the tax year 1994-95 or any subsequent tax year, the Department with the consent of the Department of Finance and Personnel by order provides that this paragraph is to have effect with respect to that tax year, there shall during that tax year be paid into the National Insurance Fund out of money appropriated by Measure such amounts as the Department may determine, not exceeding in aggregate the prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending in that tax year.
(4) In paragraph (3) “the prescribed percentage” means such percentage, not exceeding 17 per cent., as may be specified in the order under that paragraph.
(5) The Department may exercise the power to make a determination under paragraph (2) or an order or determination under paragraph (3) only if the Department thinks it expedient to do so with a view to adjusting the level at which the National Insurance Fund stands for the time being and having regard to estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending in the tax year to which the determination or order is to relate.
(6) The Department shall consult the Department of Finance and Personnel before making any determination under paragraph (2) or (3).
(7) Amounts payable under this Article shall be paid at such times and in such manner as the Department of Finance and Personnel may direct.
(8) Section 166(1) of the Administration Act (confirmatory procedure) shall apply to any order made under paragraph (3) and to any order contained in a statutory rule which includes any order under that paragraph.
(9) In section 1 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992() (outline of contributory system), at the end of subsection (1) there shall be added the words “and amounts payable under Article 4 of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1993”.