HC Deb 26 February 2002 vol 380 cc1198-9W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the instances in which her 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. [32036]

Mr. Morley

All departments are committed to pay 100 per cent. of correctly presented invoices on time, however payment terms may vary between departments and suppliers. For the financial year 2000–01 DEFRA and its agencies paid 93.9 per cent. of invoices on time. The failure has been cut by 4.4 per cent. since 1999–00.

Note:

248,083 invoices were paid in 2000–01 of which 15,054 were paid late. These are not readily presentable in a list without disproportionate cost.