To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies paid in interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years for which figures are available. (275194)

The Department for Transport has only started to hold separate records for late payment of commercial debts since 2008-09. The interest cost for this year was £84,000. Information for the previous two years could be provided only at a disproportionate cost as the interest charge are not held separately for those years.

The following agencies have not paid interest charges in the last three years:

Highways Agency

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Vehicle Operator Services Agency

Vehicle Certification Agency

The following agencies can provide information only at a disproportionate cost as they do not split the interest charges separately:

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Driving Standards Agency.