To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of reports in The Herald on 2 and 3 January 2003 that nearly one third of its suppliers are not paid within its target period of 30 days, what the precise reasons are for this; what steps it has taken, and what further steps it will take, to address this situation; what estimate it has made of the impact of late payments of these bills on businesses in Scotland, and whether any late payments have resulted in interest being added onto such unpaid bills and, if so, at what rate and in what proportion of cases.