{{otheruses, Estimate (disambiguation)
In the Westminster system of government, the ''Estimates'' are an outline of
government spending
Government spending or expenditure includes all government consumption, investment, and transfer payments. In national income accounting, the acquisition by governments of goods and services for current use, to directly satisfy the individual ...
for the following
fiscal year
A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ju ...
presented by the
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
to
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...
. The Estimates are drawn up by bureaucrats in the finance ministry in collaboration with cabinet ministers. They consist of detailed reports on how each department or ministry will spend its money. The estimates are normally introduced in the responsible chamber (the lower house in
bicameral
Bicameralism is a type of legislature, one divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single gro ...
parliaments) just prior to the main Budget Day, which gives them time to be analyzed by House committees. Unlike the budget, the estimates contain no references to
fiscal policy
In economics and political science, fiscal policy is the use of government revenue collection ( taxes or tax cuts) and expenditure to influence a country's economy. The use of government revenue expenditures to influence macroeconomic variable ...
, long-term goals, or
funding
Funding is the act of providing resources to finance a need, program, or project. While this is usually in the form of money, it can also take the form of effort or time from an organization or company. Generally, this word is used when a firm us ...
. After each section is reviewed by the relevant committee the entire Estimates are voted on as one bill. Defeat on the vote is treated as loss of supply and tantamount to loss of confidence. Unlike tax proposals in the budget, the Estimates are rarely controversial, with most issues being dealt with in committee.
Most of the countries also mandate an update or series of updates to the Estimates to account for changes in the economy or in government policy. In Canada, for instance, this update must be passed in December each year.
References
McMenemy, John. "Estimates' ''The Language of Canadian Politics.'' 1995
Westminster system