Adjournment debate on Wednesday, 14 September 2011, in the House of Commons, led by Debbie Abrahams. The answering member was Ed Davey.

Late Payments (SMEs)

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on late payments to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 532 c259-81WH
Session: 2010-12
Department: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Chamber / Committee: Westminster Hall
Proceeding contributions: Ed Davey | 532 c280-1WH (Link to this contribution) The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is keen to ensure that all Government De...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c278WH (Link to this contribution) Some of the most vital SMEs in all our constituencies are local post offices—I have debated this iss...; Chuka Umunna | 532 c280WH (Link to this contribution) I agree with the Minister that the EU regime is essentially very similar to our existing domestic re...; Ed Davey | 532 c278-80WH (Link to this contribution) I must confess to the hon. Lady that I myself have not made any assessment of Government Departments...; Ed Davey | 532 c277-8WH (Link to this contribution) This has been a fantastic debate, Mr Hood, and we all owe a debt of gratitude to the hon. Member for...; Chuka Umunna | 532 c276-7WH (Link to this contribution) How could I possibly disagree with such a fantastic suggestion? The Government need to be ever vigi...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c276WH (Link to this contribution) Given that the health and strength of the economies of the devolved nations of this country benefit ...; Ed Davey | 532 c278WH (Link to this contribution) I believe that that is correct, but we are beating our aspirations.; Chuka Umunna | 532 c278WH (Link to this contribution) One of the other areas of confusion is that the five-day target is an aspiration; the 10-day target ...; Ed Davey | 532 c278WH (Link to this contribution) I am happy to allow hon. Members to speak, but I must say that our record is rather better than it w...; Justin Tomlinson | 532 c274WH (Link to this contribution) Absolutely. Cash flow is the most crucial element for small businesses. In my case, I did not even h...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c274WH (Link to this contribution) I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way. Will he indulge me by going back to what he said about th...; Owen Smith | 532 c269-70WH (Link to this contribution) It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hood. I congratulate my hon. Friend the ...; Speaker | 532 c272WH (Link to this contribution) Order. The hon. Lady may have applied for such a debate, but I did not.; Andrew Griffiths | 532 c272WH (Link to this contribution) Thank you, Mr Hood. The hon. Lady had all of us in the Chamber nodding in agreement and support. We...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c272WH (Link to this contribution) Does the hon. Gentleman agree that in that competitive and hungry market many SMEs take the risk of ...; Andrew Griffiths | 532 c272-3WH (Link to this contribution) The hon. Lady makes a good point. It is a case of better jam tomorrow than no jam at all. Many busin...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c270WH (Link to this contribution) May I say that television production's loss is our gain? There was a large gathering of Eurosceptics...; Owen Smith | 532 c270-1WH (Link to this contribution) Yes. Indeed, they should think of introducing it earlier than anticipated. Europe clearly recognises...; Lord Hart of Tenby | 532 c271-2WH (Link to this contribution) I shall be brief, given the time. I want to deal with the so far unexplored issue of late payments ...; Andrew Griffiths | 532 c272WH (Link to this contribution) It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hood. I congratulate the hon. Member for Oldha...; Justin Tomlinson | 532 c273-4WH (Link to this contribution) I realised that there might be a bit of a gap, Mr Hood, so I thought I would try to build on some of...; David Simpson | 532 c268WH (Link to this contribution) I am not being critical when I say this, but does the hon. Lady really believe that a voluntary syst...; Anne Marie Morris | 532 c268WH (Link to this contribution) To an extent the hon. Gentleman has anticipated my further comments.; Chuka Umunna | 532 c267WH (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the hon. Lady for giving way during a very useful contribution. How does she envisa...; Anne Marie Morris | 532 c267-8WH (Link to this contribution) I am delighted to report that I have found LEPs to be excellent at doing an awful lot with very litt...; Andrew Smith | 532 c266WH (Link to this contribution) On the point about contracts, does the hon. Lady think that there would be merit in exploring the id...; Anne Marie Morris | 532 c266-7WH (Link to this contribution) I think that it is very difficult to imply a contract, because contracts are inevitably quite comple...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c265-6WH (Link to this contribution) I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. It is the job of the Government to set the tone and...; Anne Marie Morris | 532 c268-9WH (Link to this contribution) Indeed. Things can be done that are not simply voluntary, and I will expand on those. As for the sup...; David Simpson | 532 c268WH (Link to this contribution) Great minds think alike.; Baroness Burt of Solihull | 532 c261WH (Link to this contribution) I do not wish to prolong the point, or your patience, Mr Hood, but under the Late Payment of Commerc...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c261-2WH (Link to this contribution) I totally agree with the hon. Lady. That is one reason why companies are not prepared to come forwar...; Gregory Campbell | 532 c262WH (Link to this contribution) I join the congratulations to the hon. Lady on securing this timely debate. Does she agree that in r...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c262WH (Link to this contribution) I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. I agree that that is an issue in some areas of the ...; Speaker | 532 c263WH (Link to this contribution) Order. I have six Back Benchers on my list, in addition to the Front-Bench speakers. I am sure we wi...; Baroness Burt of Solihull | 532 c263WH (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams) on securing this im...; Jim Shannon | 532 c263WH (Link to this contribution) A system that might benefit both suppliers and receivers is the BACS system—bankers' automated clear...; Fiona O'Donnell | 532 c264-5WH (Link to this contribution) It is a pleasure to serve once again under your chairmanship, Mr Hood, our having served on the Heal...; Baroness Burt of Solihull | 532 c263-4WH (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for that intervention. It is an excellent idea, and perhaps the Minister will address ...; David Simpson | 532 c265WH (Link to this contribution) Although not all the public sector signed up to the five-day target, I acknowledge that it is a good...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c259-60WH (Link to this contribution) It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr Hood. I am grateful to have secured this...; Gordon Birtwistle | 532 c260-1WH (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate. Does she agree that the banks, rather than help...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c261WH (Link to this contribution) Yes, a whole range of factors affect small businesses and their viability. No doubt one of those is ...; Philip Hollobone | 532 c260WH (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the hon. Lady on her excellent speech and on all the energy and industry that she has...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c260WH (Link to this contribution) I agree that the action needs to be comprehensive, and I will mention that at the end of my speech. ...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c261WH (Link to this contribution) I thank my right hon. Friend for making that vital point. Yes, the previous Labour Government did a ...; Andrew Smith | 532 c261WH (Link to this contribution) I join the congratulations on how my hon. Friend is putting forward this important case. Does she no...; Debbie Abrahams | 532 c261WH (Link to this contribution) Yes, that is certainly one of the actions that I hope for from the Government.; Chuka Umunna | 532 c274-6WH (Link to this contribution) I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams) on securi...; Anne Marie Morris | 532 c266WH (Link to this contribution) This is an excellent debate and very timely. The focus to date has been on the challenge in the publ...; David Simpson | 532 c261WH (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the hon. Lady on obtaining the debate, which all Members surely agree is timely becau...
Subjects: Business Billing Finance EU law Public sector Standards Small businesses
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on www.publications.parliament.uk

Late Payments (SMEs)

Secondary information

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