§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how often his Department and each agency within it has failed to pay invoices due to small businesses within 30 days in each of the last five years. [40509]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is not available in the format requested.
337WThe methods of recording suppliers and payments does not allow for separation into different categories of suppliers, such as small businesses.
Since 1992, the Department has conducted an annual exercise to establish what proportion of bills for goods and services have been paid timeously, that is within any special terms agreed, or, if none exists, within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice, whichever is the later. Details of the percentage of payments made timeously from 1992–93 are as follows:
1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 Department of Social Security HQ 90 97 89.5 Benefits Agency 93 95 96 Contributions Agency 93 99 99 Resettlement Agency 96 87 98 Child Support Unit1/Child Support Agency 95 90 96 Information Technology Services Agency 96 95 99 War Pensions Agency part of BA 89 96 Departmental total 94 94 96 1 child support unit did not exist post 1992–93.