To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his Department's policy is on the timely payment of debt; and what its record has been on debt payment in the current financial year. [9323]

All Departments are required to pay all their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is later, where no such terms exist. Information on payment performance for the current financial year could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The Government will publish a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996–97 in the Autumn.