To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of invoices paid by NHS hospitals within 10 days in the latest period for which figures are available. (295598)

We do not currently collect such performance data.

However, David Nicholson, NHS chief executive, wrote to all NHS trust chief executives on 21 October 2008 asking them to examine and review existing payment practices and payment performance and to move as closely as possible to the 10-day payment commitment that has been set for Government Departments wherever practical. This message was reiterated in a further letter to NHS trust chief executives from David Nicholson on 18 May 2009.

NHS prompt payment performance against the 30 day payment target is reported in annual accounts. The 2008-09 accounts for NHS trusts recorded an 84 per cent. achievement against the 30 day payment target for non-NHS payments.