§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the average length of time it takes for her Department to pay invoices. [926]
§ Mr. SproatThe information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but a sample of invoices received by the Department of National Heritage during this financial year shows that the average length of time for payment of invoices is currently 20 days.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many orders and firms are represented by the 9.4 per cent. of invoices not paid by her Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of those are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [916]
§ Mr. SproatThe sample of invoices used in the calculation shows that the figure represents 90 orders and firms. Our records cannot be used to determine firms with fewer than 500 employees.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how her Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [962]
§ Mr. SproatThe Department of National Heritage publicises only payment practices as percentages of invoices paid within contract terms or 30 days. As required, these details of our annual payment performance are included in our departmental reports.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days or within agreed contractual provisions in each of the last five years. [1122]
§ Mr. SproatThe information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but the following has been produced on the basis of the sample of invoices received by the Department of National Heritage and used to reply to the hon. Member on 1 November,Official Report, column 267:
- Amount owed £'000
- 1993–94: 246
- 1994–95: 753
- 1995–96: 166
There are no comparable departmental figures for earlier years as the Department's payment system was not in place until 1993, following the establishment of DNH in April 1992.
160W239912 2A