§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the occasions on which(a) his Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2001–02. [104319]
§ Mr. McCartneyInformation on the occasions where the Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the percentage of bills which were paid by the Department within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice was 93 per cent. for the financial year 2001–02. The average percentage of bills paid by my Department's agencies was 94 per cent. over the same period. There were no executive non-departmental public bodies in that year.