Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on regulation relating to late payment of invoices by businesses.

There have not been any discussions between this department and my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office recently, on this specific subject. Large businesses have, since April this year, been subject to a twice yearly statutory duty to report to Government on their payment practices and performance. The first reports will be due from October this year, depending on the relevant business’s financial year.