(1) A Contingencies Fund is hereby established.
(2) The Minister may, by an affirmative resolution of Parliament, transfer from the Consolidated Fund any sum as may be required for the operation of the Contingency Fund.
(3) The Minister, if he or she is satisfied that there has arisen an urgent and unforeseen need for expenditure—
(a) for which no monies have been appropriated or for which the sum appropriated is insufficient;
(b) for which funds cannot be reallocated as provided for in section 23; and
(c) which cannot be deferred without serious detriment to the public service,
may, by Contingency Fund Warrant under his or her hand and in anticipation of the grant of an appropriation by Parliament, authorise an advance from the Contingency Fund to meet such need.
(4) The total of the sums authorised under subsection (3) to be advanced from the Contingency Fund shall not exceed the total sum authorised under subsection (2).
(5) Where any advance is made from the Contingency Fund under this section a supplementary estimate of the sum required for the service for which such advance was made shall be laid before Parliament as soon as possible but in any event not later than 4 months from the date on which the Contingency Fund Warrant was issued and shall be included in a Supplementary Appropriation Bill for appropriation.
(6) Upon the grant of an appropriation to meet the expenditure in respect of which an advance was made under this section, the Contingency Fund Warrant authorising that advance shall lapse and shall cease to have effect and the advance shall be deemed to have been made for the purpose of the appropriation and shall be accounted for accordingly.