To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses were 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. (226493)

The Scotland Office is unable to distinguish between different sizes of business in the payment records; the size of a business does not influence the payment process. As indicated in its annual report, in 2007-08, the Office paid 99.53 per cent. of its invoices within 30 days. The Office welcomes the recent announcement by the Prime Minister that the Government should aim to pay invoices within 10 days and is working towards this target.