Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order provides for the setting up as from 1st April 1999 of a fund with public money under the Government Trading Funds Act 1973 (“the 1973 Act”) for the operations of the Home Department known as the Forensic Science Service. It designates the Secretary of State for the Home Department as the authorised lender to the fund.

The Order also specifies the assets (estimated at £44,000,000) and liabilities (estimated at £10,000,000) which are to be appropriated to the fund and provides for a proportion of the difference in value between those assets and liabilities to be treated as a revaluation reserve and for a further proportion of that difference to be treated as public dividend capital of the fund. The Order provides that the aggregate of the total amount paid to the fund by way of loan (other than as originating debt), and the total amount issued to the fund as public dividend capital under section 2A(2A) of the 1973 Act, is not to exceed £40 million.