asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Ministry of Defence and the Property Services Agency will reply to the proposals for the development of the Queensway site in Gibraltar which have been referred to them for clearance.

I am unaware of any proposals for the development of the Queensway site that are waiting the clearance of either the MoD or the PSA.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What regional groupings of waste disposal authorities have been set up in England, Wales and Scotland.

Three regional and district council groupings have been set up to co-ordinate waste disposal in the central area of Scotland. Eleswhere in Scotland, groupings operate on a more informal basis.In Wales, three regional groupings of waste disposal authorities, water authorities and the private sector have been formed covering the North, South-East and South-West of the Principality.For England, the Government consider that there is no need to set up new structure of regional groupings of waste disposal authorities. Instead we are building on the many groups already in existence in order to develop an informal structure of regional consultation and co-ordination. Officers from the Department of the Environment have attended meetings with a number of such groups in various parts of the country to encourage this process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to implement Lord Ezra's suggestion (HL Deb., 23/1/85, col. 285) that imports should be reduced by mobilising the annual purchasing power of £100 billion of government departments, local authorities, nationalised industries and other large firms to buy goods manufactured in Britain, as Marks and Spencer and other traders have done.

Through the public purchasing initiative the Government vigorously encourage the public sector to use its substantial purchasing power in a positive and demanding way to help develop suppliers' competitiveness. Ministers, including the Prime Minister, have made it clear on many occasions that they expect and hope that British goods will be bought where they are well made and offer value for money.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What criteria are being applied to justify the closure of skillcentres, and how many centres will be affected.

Under the adult training strategy the Government plan to double the number of adults who will benefit from the training programmes it funds directly, and the objectives for skillcentres reflect our determination that as much as possible of the money available for training should be spent on real training provision rather than on subsidising institutions. The Manpower Services Commission has agreed therefore that as from the 1986–87 financial year the skillcentre training agency will be required to cover its costs from fee income without any subvention from the taxpayer.In order to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of its services and meet its break-even requirement, the agency has recommended, and the Manpower Services Commission—by a majority—accepted, that 29 of the existing 87 skillcentres should close by April 1986, leaving the agency to operate a streamlined network covering all major centres of population in Great Britain, and supported by an expanded mobile instructor service.The chairman of the commission has reported the commission's conclusions to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Employment, who is currently considering its advice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will define the meaning of the words "petro-currency" as used by them as attributable to sterling, and to state how long they expect sterling to remain a "petro-currency".

The designation of sterling as a "petro-currency" is more a perception of the market than of the Government. Sterling's relative value is of course influenced by oil market developments. But this has, on occasions, been exaggerated. Even though United Kingdom oil production may be close to its maximum levels, together with gas production it comprises only about 5 per cent. of GNP. It is impossible to predict with any confidence how long this market perception will persist.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the net increase in the nation's financial liabilities in 1984 due to: (

The nominal value of public sector debt outstanding at end-March 1984 was £173 billion—some £16 billion higher than a year earlier. Details of the breakdown of public sector debt are scheduled to be published in the February issue of Financial Statistics. The real value of outstanding public debt of £173 billion at March 1984 calculated at March 1983 prices was £167 billion, i.e., £6 billion below the nominal figure.The accrued liability for unfunded public service pension funds is estimated at £125 billion at the end of 1984. The annual accruing cost is estimated at £5 billion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the fall in value of the nation's assets in 1984 due to: (

Estimates of capital consumption (i.e. depreciation) of the nation's assets during 1984 are not yet available; they will be published next September in the 1985 Edition of United Kingdom National Accounts (the CSO "Blue Book").Estimates of sales by the extraction industry of the nation's mineral oil and natural gas (which equate to the depletion of these natural resources) during 1984 will be published next April in the fourth quarter 1984 edition of