§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of bills were paid on time by Government Departments and their agencies during the financial year 2000–01. [71802]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe overall payment performance of Government is 95.86 per cent. Figures for the financial year 2000–01 show that there has been a slight decrease in overall performance this year. However, there has been an improvement in the payment performance of a number of Departments and agencies with 60 per cent. achieving the average and 20 per cent. paying 99 per cent. or more of their invoices on time.
Government Departments and their agencies are required to monitor their payment performance and to publish the results in their departmental or annual reports. The table lists, by Department, the proportion of bills paid within 30 days, or other agreed credit period, of receipt of a valid invoice.
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Main Departments Percentage for each Department paid on time Ministry of Defence 100.00 National Investment and Loans Office 100.00 Privy Council Office 99.70 Scotland Office1 99.51 Office of Water Services 99.45 Office of Telecommunications 99.30 Public Records Office 99.14 Land Registry 99.07 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 99.05 Inland Revenue 98.90 Health and Safety Executive 98.86 HM Treasury 98.74 Office of the Rail Regulator 98.71 Government Actuary's Department 98.57 Office for National Statistics 98.30 DTLR Total 98.28 DTI and its agencies 97.68 Export Credit Guarantee Department 97.94 Ordnance Survey 97.84 HM Customs and Excise 97.38 Charity Commission 97.10 Department for National Savings and Investments 96.90 Forestry Commission 96.73 Department for International Development 96.62 Treasury Solicitors Department 96.50 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 96.39 Cabinet Office (OPS) 95.75 Lord Chancellor's Department (Overall Total) 95.14 Department for Education and Skills 95.09 Department of Health (Total of DOH and agencies) 94.97 Home Office (agencies) (Total) 94.58 Food Standards Agency 93.88 Northern Ireland Office 93.81 Crown Prosecution Service 93.69 Office for Government Commerce (OGC) 93.29 Department for Work and Pensions 93.01 Office of Fair Trading 92.65 Serious Fraud Office 91.29 Office for Standards in Education 88.61 Royal Mint 88.25
Main Departments Percentage for each Department paid on time Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) 87.72 DEFRA (includes all agencies in totals) 86.99 Wales Office 86.67 Total percentage paid on time 95.86 1 Figures only available to 31 Dec 2001