Supply

Supply (through Fr. from Lat. supplere, to fill up), provision; more particularly the money granted by a legislature to carry on the work of government. In the United Kingdom the granting of supply is the exclusive right of the House of Commons, and is carried out by two committees of the House, one of supply and the other of ways and means (see Parliament). In the United States supply originates in the House of Representatives (see United States: Appropriation). In Scotland commissioners of supply were officers appointed to assess and collect the land tax offered as supply to the sovereign. Under the Lands Valuation (Scotland) Act 1854 all owners of property of a certain value were qualified as commissioners of supply. Their duties were also enlarged to comprise the general administration of the country, but by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 all their powers and duties were transferred to and vested in the county council. They still meet annually, but transact only formal business.