Oldham MP criticises Chancellor’s late payments move as Interserve folds

Date published: 25 March 2019


Commenting on the decision Debbie, who created the award winning late payments campaign, Be Fair - Pay on Time, in 2012, said: “The idea of publishing payment performance was the number one recommendation of the all-party parliamentary inquiry I chaired way back in 2013 but the Government have done nothing to act on the findings for all these years.”

Debbie, who has introduced a ten minute rule bill promoting the use of Project Bank Accounts to protect small business suppliers from late payments, and the collapse of large companies like Carillion and Interserve, added: “I’m deeply frustrated that the Government ignored the evidence from my inquiry for so long. If they had acted more quickly and implemented the recommendations from my inquiry and my bill, tens of thousands of small businesses would have been protected from these collapses and the scourge of late payments.

“The speed at which they’ve acted is unacceptable and I’ll be keeping the pressure up on them to push these promised changes through quickly. They should also take note of the other recommendations in my inquiry if they are really serious about stamping out late payment practices across all business sectors.”

Debbie’s all-party inquiry, which took evidence from economists, large building companies, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the Forum of Private Business (FPB), academics, and the owners of small companies affected by late payments can be seen here:https://www.fsb.org.uk/docs/default-source/fsb-org-uk/uploads/manchester-and-north-cheshire/late-payment-enquiry-report.pdf?sfvrsn=0&sfvrsn=0

The first recommendation Debbie’s inquiry made was that: The Government should promote the adoption of ‘good practice’ guidance for large companies in managing supply chains, including publishing performance data relating to payment-on-time to suppliers in audited annual accounts.

 


Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.