Consolidated Fund Act 1816

1816 CHAPTER 98 56 Geo 3

An Act to unite and consolidate into One Fund all the Public Revenues of Great Britain and Ireland, and to provide for the Application thereof to the General Service of the United Kingdom.

[1st July 1816]

Whereas it hath become expedient, for further carrying into effect the provisions and purposes of two several Acts for the Union of Great Britain and Ireland, (the one made in the Parliament of Great Britain in the thirty-ninth and fortieth years of his present Majesty’s reign, and the other made in the Parliament of Ireland in the fortieth year of his said Majesty’s reign), that all the public revenues of Great Britain and Ireland should be consolidated and applied to the service of the United Kingdom:

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 References to Ireland to be construed (27.3.1923) as exclusive of Republic of Ireland: S.R. & O. 1923/405 (Rev. X, p. 298; 1923, p. 400), art. 2

C2 Short title given by Short Titles Act 1896 (c. 14)

[1.] Consolidated funds of Great Britain and Ireland, shall become one general consolidated fund. U.K.

All rates, duties, taxes, receipts, sums of money, and revenues of what nature or kind soever, which under or by virtue of any Act or Acts in force in Great Britain or Ireland respectively at the time of the passing of this Act, and immediately before the said fifth day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, shall or may constitute or form part of or be directed to be carried to the several funds called the consolidated fund of Great Britain and the consolidated fund of Ireland respectively, shall be carried to and shall be and become and shall form and constitute one general fund, to be called the consolidated fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and that the said consolidated fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, whether the same or any part thereof shall be in the Exchequer of Great Britain or in the Exchequer of Ireland, shall in the first place, be charged and chargeable with and shall from time to time be applied indiscriminately to the payment of the whole of the interest of the national debts of Great Britain and Ireland, and the sinking funds applicable to the reduction thereof, as one joint consolidated national debt, interest, and sinking fund; and in the next place the said consolidated fund of the said United Kingdom shall in like manner be charged and chargeable with and shall be applied to the payment of the salaries and other charges of his Majesty’s civil list establishments in Great Britain and Ireland; and in the next place the said consolidated fund of the said United Kingdom shall be in like manner charged and chargeable with and shall be applied in payment of all other charges whatsoever made payable out of the consolidate funds of Great Britain and Ireland respectively, under or by virtue of any Act or Acts in force immediately before the said fifth day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventeen; and after payment and satisfaction of all the aforesaid charges the said consolidated fund of the United Kingdom shall be in like manner indiscriminately applied to the service of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or any part thereof, as shall be directed by Parliament, and shall be issued and applied accordingly, in manner and under the authority herein-after mentioned and directed.

2 Offices of treasurer of Great Britain and Ireland united, and may be executed by commissioners. Officers of the revenue subject to the orders of the Treasury. U.K.

The offices of lord high treasurer of Great Britain and lord high treasurer of Ireland shall be united into one office, and the person holding the same shall be called lord high treasurer of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and whenever there shall not be any such lord high treasurer, it shall and may be lawful for his Majesty by letters patent under the great seal of Great Britain to appoint commissioners for executing the offices of treasurer of the Exchequer of Great Britain and lord high treasurer of Ireland; and such commissioners shall be called commissioners of his Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and the said commissioners shall have all such powers and authorities in and through the whole of the said United Kingdom with respect to the collection, issuing, and application of the whole revenues of the United Kingdom, as at the time of the passing of this Act, and immediately before the said fifth day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, are or shall or may be vested in the commissioners of the Treasury in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, by any Act or Acts of Parliament, or by any law, usage, or custom in force in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, by whatever names or descriptions such commissioners of the Treasury shall or may have been at any time known or described, save and except in so far as any such powers or authorities may be altered or amended by this Act; and all officers and other persons concerned or employed in the collection or management of the revenues in and through every-part of the United Kingdom shall be in all respects subject to the orders and control of the said lord high treasurer or the said commissioners of his Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and shall be liable to all such penalties and punishments for disobedience of such orders, as they are or would be subject or liable to under or by virtue of any Acts, laws, usages, or customs, with respect to the powers of the commissioners of the Treasury, in force in Great Britain and Ireland respectively at the time of the passing of this Act and immediately before the said fifth day of January one thousand eight hundred and seventeen.

3 The words “Commissioners of Treasury,” &c. to apply to commissioners for executing the offices of treasurer of the Exchequer of Great Britain and treasurer of Ireland. U.K.

Whenever in this Act or in any Act to be made at any time after the passing of this Act the words “Commissioners of his Majesty’s Treasury,” or the words “Commissioners of his Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,” are or shall be used, the same shall be construed to extend and apply to the commissioners for executing the offices of treasurer of the Exchequer of Great Britain and lord high treasurer of Ireland, whenever such commission shall be in force; and that all and every act and acts which at any time shall or may have been done or executed or shall or may be done or executed by the commissioners of his Majesty’s Treasury in Great Britain or Ireland, or the United Kingdom respectively, under or by virtue or authority of any law, statute, usage, or custom in force before the passing of this Act, shall be good, valid, and effectual to all intents and purposes, notwithstanding any error or omission in the names or descriptions whereby any such commissioners of the Treasury shall or may have been at any time known, or named, or described.

4—12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 4—12 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)

13 So much of Irish Act 37 G. 3 as appoints commissioners for the reduction of national debt in Ireland, repealed: British commissioners shall be commissioners for the reduction of the national debt of the United Kingdom. U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2 the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt of Great Britain shall be and become commissioners for the reduction of the national debt of the United Kingdom; and the said commissioners shall have all such powers and authorities as are or may be given in and by any Act or Acts in force in Great Britain or Ireland, relative to the reduction of the national debt of Great Britain or the national debt of Ireland;. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

Textual Amendments

F2 Words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)

14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 14 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1978 (c. 45), Sch. 1 Pt. III

15 Sanction of the lord lieutenant shall be equivalent to that required heretofore by the Irish Treasury (except in revenue cases). U.K.

In all cases not otherwise specially provided for by this Act, where under the provisions of any Act or Acts, in force immediately before the passing of this Act any warrant, licence, order, or document has been required to be signed by the commissioners for executing the office of lord high treasurer of Ireland (except in cases relating to the revenue of Ireland), a warrant or other proper document, as the case may be, signed by the lord lieutenant shall be of like validity, force, and effect, as any such warrant, licence, order, or document of such commissioners, to all intents and purposes whatsoever; and in all cases where by any Act or Acts in force in Ireland the approbation of the said commissioners for executing the office of lord high treasurer of Ireland has been required or made necessary (except as aforesaid) the approbation of the lord lieutenant, signified by his chief secretary, or in the absence of such chief secretary, by the under secretary for the civil or military department, as the case may require, shall be of like validity, force, and effect, as the approbation of such commissioners, to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F4 S. 16 repealed by Ministers of the Crown Act 1937 (c. 38), Sch. 4

17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F5 S. 17 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)

18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F6 S. 18 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1978 (c. 45), Sch. 1 Pt. IX

19—21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F7 Ss. 19—21 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)

22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F8 S. 22 repealed by National Loans Act 1968 (c. 13), Sch. 6 Pt. I

23—28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9 U.K.

Textual Amendments

F9 Ss. 23—28 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1873 (c. 91)