§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [32030]
§ Dr. MoonieThe majority of the Ministry of Defence bills (some 95 per cent.) are paid by the Defence Bills Agency (DBA), which paid 100 per cent. of correctly presented bills within 30 days in the financial year 2000–01. The balance of the MOD's payments was made by the MOD's Trading Fund Agencies. Their performance against the 30 day target was as follows: Defence Evaluation and Research Agency 94.4 per cent.; Meteorological Office 99.9 per cent.; and the Hydrographic Office 98.5 per cent.