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Departmental Procurement

Volume 480: debated on Friday 17 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses was paid within 30 days of receipt by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which his Department is responsible in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. (226502)

The Department and its agency, The Royal Parks, do not routinely maintain statistics on performance of invoice payments analysed by size of businesses. This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

However, the proportion of undisputed invoices for goods and services procured from all suppliers paid within 30 days of receipt by the Department in 2007-08 was 98.4 per cent.

The Royal Parks' performance on similar basis was 96.3 per cent. for 2003-04, the latest year for which information is readily available. Invoice payment performance information relating to later years can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.