[holding answer 12 June 2009]: Following the statement by the Prime Minister at PMQs on 8 October 2008, central Government Departments were asked to make payment of SME supplier invoices within 10 days. From information held centrally the 10 day payment performance for all supplier invoices from November 2008 for the core-Department and Executive agencies and NDPBs that utilise core-DEFRA’s financial system is as follows:
10 day performance 2008 2009 Organisation November December January February March April May Core DEFRA 33.5 77.1 99.8 99.8 99.4 99.7 99.9 Animal Health Agency 25.5 74.6 99.9 100.0 99.9 99.9 100.0 Natural England 99.5 99.4 99.5 99.6 99.9 99.8 99.7 Marine and Fisheries Agency 41.6 84.6 100.0 96.3 100.0 100.0 99.5 Gov. Decon. Service 35.7 67.3 100.0 99.5 100.0 — — DECC cost centres 28.1 81.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 99.5 100.0 Note: GDS merged into FERA from 1 April 2009.