LATE payment for goods and services is the bane of business life. The Government is at present contemplating legislative action to control this unacceptable cash flow practice and bring defaulters into line. It seems that dilatory customers can be found among the most reputable of clients including, it has been alleged this week, in the sanctified realm of Vatican City. A Scottish seafood company has revealed that Pope John Paul, although no socialist, shares a liking for smoked salmon. But when it comes to settling the bill on time, the company claims that the credo of the Vatican money men is for extended credit.

The company, Hebridean Seafoods, has dropped the Pontiff as a customer saying that it was fed up with being paid late. According to chairman John Mackenzie "getting paid by the Vatican was as much a miracle as feeding the 5,000." Some 200 kilos of salmon, worth around £2,500, were shipped to the Vatican every two weeks, according to a report.

In a rare response the Holy See disputes the company's version of events. It says it cancelled the order in July "because of differences over the quality of the product" adding that "all bills were settled on time". Surely the answer to a prayer for some enterprising domestic exporter to move in and plug the ecclesiastical smoked salmon export gap?