Votes on account are a way for the Government to obtain an advance on the money they need for the next financial year.
Although the main estimates are published in April, the House does not usually vote to authorise them until July. To ensure the Government has enough money to spend before the main estimates are agreed, votes on account are presented in the previous session, usually alongside the supplementary estimates, to authorise this spending.
The votes on account normally cover around 45% of the previous year’s total estimates. This is usually sufficient to cover departmental expenditure until the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Bill is passed and the remaining 55% is agreed through the main estimates.