Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of suppliers to Government and to publicly-funded services have their invoices settled on the due date.

Government departments routinely publish the percentage of invoices paid within 5 and 30 days, and there is a requirement under the Procurement Act 2023 for invoices relating to public contracts to be paid within 30 days.

The most recent published data indicates that all departments pay at least 95% of invoices within 30 days and half of departments pay at least 99% within 30 days.

For publicly-funded services, we do not hold this data centrally at present. However, from 1 October, a new Payments Compliance Notice (under the Procurement Act 2023) will commence. This will require all contracting authorities to publish information every six months on the average number of days taken to pay invoices and the percentage of invoices paid within 30 days, 31-60 days, 61+ days.