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

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Spring Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 13 March (HC Deb, col 720), how they intend to “eliminate the scourge of late payments” to support small business.

The Government is clear that late payment and unfavourable payment practices is a serious issue, particularly for smaller businesses. We have already taken steps to tackle the issue, including making it a legal requirement for the UK’s largest businesses to report on their payment terms and practices. The Department will launch a Call for Evidence to assess what further steps and intervention may be needed to ensure small businesses are not subject to unfair payment practices.