To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the policy of her Department on the timely payment of debts; and what is her Department's record on the payment of debts in the current financial year. [9524]

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 the later, where no such terms exist. Information on this Department's record in the current financial year is not yet available. The Government will publish a league of departmental payment performance for 1996–97 in the Autumn.