§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the instances in which his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2000–01. [32026]
§ Mr. MacShaneIn 2000–01 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office failed to pay some 2.2 per cent. of valid invoices within 30 days of receipt or the agreed contract terms where these differ. The failure rate has been cut by 0.4 per cent. (15 per cent.) since 1998–99.