§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Nigel Griffiths)The overall payment performance of Government is 94.83 per cent. Figures for the financial year 2002–03 show that there has been a slight decrease in overall performance this year. However, there has been a continued improvement in the payment performance of a number of Departments and agencies, with 59 per cent., achieving the average and 19 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.
The Government take this issue very seriously, and are committed to improving the payment culture in the UK, in order to create fair and stable business transactions. The Government's own payment performance is an important element in this policy.
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Main Department 2002–03 Paid on Time % Ministry of Defence 100 Privy Council Office 100 Office of Water Services 99.72 Inland Revenue 99.35 Land Registry 99.21 Office of Telecommunications 99.21 Government Actuary's Department 99.17 Public Records Office 99.17 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 99.09 Health and Safety Executive 98.95 Export Credit Guarantee Department 98.76 Charity Commission 98.24 HM Customs and Excise 98.13 Treasury Solicitors Department 98.13 Office for National Statistics 97.97 Electoral Commission 97.84 Ordnance Survey 97.53 Department of Trade and Industry 97.2
Main Departments 2002–03 Paid on Time % Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioners 96.88 Forestry Commission 96.75 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 96.72 Department for International Development 96.52 Office of Government Commerce HQ 96.28 NI Court Service 96.23 Cabinet Office (OPS) 96.21 Food Standards Agency 96.00 Office of the Rail Regulator 95.69 Lord Chancellor's Department 95.43 Office for Standards in Education 94.76 Department for Education and Skills 94.52 Department of Health 94.46 Department for National Savings and Investments 94.43 Office of Fair Trading 94.02 Serious Fraud Office 92.77 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 92.46 Department for Work and Pensions 92.03 Scotland Office 92.24 Department for Transport 91.96 DEFRA 91.43 Royal Mint 90.57 Crown Prosecution Service 90.42 Office of Gas and Electricity Markets 89.54 Home Office 88.64 Wales Office 88.48 Northern Ireland Office 85.16 HM Treasury 84.06 Government Communications HQ 83.98 Average percentage paid on time 94.83