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Departmental Billing

Volume 494: debated on Monday 15 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much (a) his Department and its predecessor 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. (275197)

Information for 2008-09 is currently being compiled and audited and will be published in the Ministry's 2008-09 resource accounts which are expected to be laid before Parliament in July 2009.

The Ministry of Justice and its agencies paid the following interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years for which published data are currently available:

Financial period

£

2007-08

The Ministry of Justice HQ

28,000

HM Prison Service

198,145

HM Courts Service

44,211

Tribunals Service

0

Office of the Public Guardian

0

2006-07

Department for Constitutional Affairs

29,030

HM Courts Service

43,376

Tribunals Service

2,278

Public Guardianship Office

0

2005-06

Department for Constitutional Affairs (including Tribunals)

16,773

HM Courts Service

24,683

Public Guardianship Office

0

The National Probation Service, which was part of the Ministry of Justice from 2007-08, is not included as information is held locally by 42 local probation boards or trusts and can be collated only at disproportionate cost.

The Ministry of Justice is fully committed to achieving compliance with the Prime Minister's target of paying suppliers within 10 days and is a signatory to the Prompt Payment Code. During May 2009, the Ministry of Justice and its agencies paid 92 per cent. of invoices received within the 10-day target. This level of performance should ensure that interest to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 is greatly reduced for the current financial year.