This Order designates bodies, for the financial year ending with 31st March 2004, for the purposes of section 15 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act (Northern Ireland) 2001. The Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) intend to pass the information provided by bodies designated in Part 1 of the Schedule to this Order to HM Treasury for use in the preparation of published Central Government Accounts (CGA) at United Kingdom level for that year. The designation enables DFP to require those bodies to provide financial information in relation to that year.

In addition, DFP intends to require bodies designated in Part 2 of the Schedule to ensure that appropriate systems are in place and Consolidation Officers appointed in advance of financial information being required from those bodies in future years for the purposes of Whole of Government Accounts (WGA).

WGA are financial statements prepared on the basis of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) which will cover the whole of the public sector as far as practically possible.