Letter: Big players, slow payers

Sir: One of the great problems continually facing small businesses is the late payment of debts by their major corporate clients. It has now been highlighted as a major problem throughout Europe.

Even the best of well-intentioned legislators has failed to find a practical solution. I suggest that the Department of Trade and Industry establish a small business hotline. Small companies with unpaid debts would call the DTI, which would verify the allegations with non-paying large corporate customers. If the customer fails to make prompt payment, the DTI should publish in the national press a list of defaulting companies. Surely embarrassment would push these large companies to pay their debts.

If such companies still failed to meet their obligations, the DTI could consider further sanctions such as ineligibility for the Queen's Award to Industry, or even the withdrawal of previous awards.

Yours sincerely,

JOHN BROWNE

Bath

18 May