Section 18(2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 [1954 c.33] (except, in relation to members other than the chairman, so much of that section as relates to remuneration) shall apply to the appointment of members of the Staff Commission.

The Staff Commission may make payments to its members for, or in relation to anything done in connection with, service as members of the Staff Commission and such payments shall be of an amount or rate to be determined by the Department with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel but not exceeding the amount or rate specified in or determined under the regulations under section 36(1).

Before the commencement of each financial year the Staff Commission shall prepare an estimate of the amount of its total expenditure for that year.

In preparing the estimate mentioned in paragraph 3, the Staff Commission shall take into account any surplus or deficit accruing from previous years or estimated to accrue in the current year, and may also include such additional amount as is, in the opinion of the Staff Commission, required to meet contingencies.

The Staff Commission shall, with the approval of the Ministry, apportion the amount estimated in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 between expenditure arising from matters directly concerning councils [F3, expenditure arising from matters directly concerning the Executive] and other expenditure.

Any question arising in connection with an apportionment under paragraph 5 shall be referred to and determined by the Ministry of FinanceF4.

The amount apportioned under paragraph 5 as arising from matters directly concerning councils shall be further apportioned between all the councils in Northern Ireland rateably in proportion to the rateable value of the hereditaments in their districts, and the amount that is so further apportioned to each council shall be paid by that council to the Staff Commission at such time and in such manner as the Staff Commission directs.

The amount apportioned under paragraph 5 as arising from matters directly concerning the Executive shall be paid to the Staff Commission by the Executive at such time and in such manner as the Staff Commission directs.]

Any sum which is payable by a council [F6 or, as the case may be, by the Executive] to the Staff Commission under paragraph 7 [F6 or paragraph 7A] shall be a debt recoverable from the council [F6 or the Executive] by the Staff Commission.

The amount apportioned under paragraph 5 as other expenditure shall be defrayed as expenses of the Ministry.

The Staff Commission may borrow, by way of temporary loan or overdraft from a bank or otherwise, any sum which the Staff Commission temporarily requires for the purpose of defraying expenses pending the receipt of revenues receivable by it.

The Staff Commission shall keep such accounts and records as the Ministry directs.

The accounts of the Staff Commission shall be audited annually by a local government auditor, and the provisions ofF7Part II of the Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 with respect to audit shall apply to that audit subject to such modifications as the Ministry directs.