The government has accelerated arrears for pharmaceuticals payments by €11 million over and above the vote in the budget for 2009.

However, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said payment due was never the reason for the non-supply of pharmaceuticals by suppliers.

Answering a number of supplementary parliamentary questions by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat and Labour MP Carmelo Abela, Minister Fenech said all suppliers knew that the government was bound to pay for deliveries within 150 days from the date of invoice.

What was sometimes to blame for late payment was lack of agreement between the suppliers and the government's Pharmaceutical Division on what had been supplied.

Talks with pharmaceuticals suppliers were ongoing to improve the current system. The accelerated payment had gone a long way to improve the situation. The 150 days from date of invoice was the government's longest credit time.

Minister Fenech said there had been substantial increases in the budgeted votes for pharmaceuticals over recent years.