To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the policy of his Department on the timely payment of debts; and what is his Department's record on the payment of debts in the current financial year. [9522]

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 be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Government will publish a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996-97 in the autumn.