Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister of the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that all Government suppliers are signatories of the Prompt Payment Code.

In 2015 the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy strengthened the Prompt Payment Code. The majority of government's 28 strategic suppliers are signatories the Prompt Payment Code, promising to pay suppliers, including small businesses in their supply chain, promptly and fairly. A list of these signed suppliers has been published on GOV.UK. Payment practices of those strategic suppliers who are not signatories to the Code, are regularly monitored to ensure that they are in line with the aims of prompt payment policy.

In addition, all public sector buyers must have 30 day payment terms in their contracts and through their supply chains; they must also publish their payment performance bi-annually.