§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the functions relating to payment for goods or services supplied for which his Department is responsible indicating the management systems purchased, all sub-contractors involved in the work, co-operative arrangements with other Departments; and the costs of the systems and processes in the last year for which figures are available. [12560]
§ Mr. FatchettThis Department makes payments both in the United Kingdom and through embassies and high commissions overseas. No sub-contractors are involved. We also make a large number of payments overseas on behalf of other Government Departments.
In the United Kingdom, spending Departments input the invoice details electronically, but actual payment is issued centrally. During 1996–97, 33,517 payments—covering one or more invoice—were issued at a cost of £124,533 in central staff costs.
No figures are available for payments made overseas and to obtain the information required would involve disproportionate cost.