To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the average length of time taken by (a) his Department and (b) its agency to pay invoices from (i) small and medium-sized enterprises and (ii) all creditors in the last 12 months. (315064)

In December 2009 the Department paid 96.65 per cent. of all valid invoices within 10 working days of receipt, and 99.44 per cent. within 30 days. It is not possible to distinguish small and medium-sized enterprises within this information.

The Royal Parks, the Department's agency, is not able to provide this information used its current accounting system. A new system is being implemented shortly, which will enable the agency to provide the relevant information in the financial year 2010-11.