To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses have used the HM Revenue and Customs Business Payment Support Scheme in the last 12 months. (316858)

Since its introduction on 24 November 2008 the Business Payment Support Service ( BPSS ) has agreed around 292,000 Time To Pay arrangements (TTP ) in the UK with businesses to spread tax payments of about £5 billion over an agreed period.

This has helped to support more than 160,000 businesses, the vast majority of whom are small and medium sized. Over 90 per cent. of the value of arrangements is being paid on time.

Between 1 February 2009 and 31 January 2010, 229,000 TTP agreements were made with customers via the BPSS.