§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of bills to her Department were paid in accordance with agreed contractual conditions or, where no such contractual conditions existed, within 30 days of receiving goods and services or the presentation of a valid invoice in the last year for which figures are available. [5700]
§ Mr. Sproat[holding answer 14 December 1995]: My Department is committed to the payment of invoices within agreed contractual provisions or within 30 days of the presentation of a valid invoice or delivery, if later. Although the information requested is not available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, on the basis of a sample of invoices received by the Department of National Heritage during 1994–95, 90.6 per cent. were paid on time.