For section 17 of the 1997 Act (which empowers the NCIS Service Authority to issue levies to police authorities in England and Wales) there shall be substituted—
(1)The Secretary of State shall for each financial year make a grant to the NCIS Service Authority.
(2)If the Authority fails, in relation to a financial year,—
(a)to submit to the Secretary of State a budget statement in accordance with section 16A, or
(b)to comply with a requirement under section 17A(1),
subsection (1) above shall not apply in respect of that year, but the Secretary of State may make a grant to the Authority for that year.
(3)For every financial year the Secretary of State shall determine the amount of the grant to be made under this section; and a determination under this subsection may be varied by a subsequent determination under this subsection.
(4)If the Secretary of State considers it appropriate, he may make any payment of grant under this section on conditions.
(5)The conditions may (among other things)—
(a)regulate the purposes for which the payment or any part of it may be used;
(b)require repayment to the Secretary of State in specified circumstances.
(1)The Secretary of State may require the NCIS Service Authority to provide him, in connection with the exercise of his functions under section 17, with such information as he may specify, within such period as he may specify.
(2)Where the Secretary of State makes a determination under section 17, he shall prepare a report—
(a)setting out the determination (including any conditions imposed by virtue of section 17(4)), and
(b)stating the considerations which he took into account in making it.
(3)A copy of every report prepared under subsection (2) shall—
(a)be sent to the NCIS Service Authority, and
(b)be laid before the House of Commons.
(4)A grant to the NCIS Service Authority under section 17 shall be paid at such time, or in instalments of such amounts and at such times, as the Secretary of State may determine; and any such time may fall within or after the financial year concerned.
(5)Where in consequence of a further determination under section 17(3) the amount of the Authority’s grant is less than the amount already paid to it for the year, a sum equal to the difference shall be paid by the Authority to the Secretary of State at such time as he may specify.”