Government’s foot in mouth over unpaid bills.
Link: Government’s foot in mouth over unpaid bills.
According to the Forum of Private Business (FPB), the UK government still owes around 40 companies ��40 million in unpaid bills from the foot and mouth clean up four years ago.
However, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has claimed that all bills are paid, and that any outstanding claims are due to inflation of costs outside of original contractual agreements.
Multiple cases are already being persued already in the High Court.
One of the biggest creditors is Cumbria County Council’s Cumbria Waste Management, which alone claims more than ��5 million is owed, with hundreds of hours and thousands of pounds so far used chasing up payment.
The accusations are potentially embarrassing for a government that has tried to legislate against late-paying companies.
