asked Her Majesty's Government:What new Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet have been established since 9 June 1997.[HL260]

I have set out below the names and membership of the Cabinet Committees established since 9 June. In addition to the members listed, other Ministers are invited to attend meetings as necessary.MINISTERIAL SUB COMMITTEE ON ENERGY POLICY [EA(N)]

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals they have for issuing guidance to those authorities wishing to adopt experimental arrangements in the event of the Local Government (Experimental Arrangements) Bill being enacted.[HL274]

Our current intention is that, in the event of such an enactment, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions would issue guidance to local authorities on the making of applications to him for approval of proposed experimental decision-making arrangements. A first draft of such guidance has today been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What role they now see for art and design within the National Curriculum in the light of the recent statement by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, and whether they feel that the position of art and design in recent years within the National Curriculum has been of benefit to school children.[HL161]

History, PE, art, music, geography and design and technology remain foundation subjects which all schools continue to be required to teach. From September 1998 primary schools will have more flexibility in how to teach these subjects as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Development of a child's creativity and imagination is an essential part of a balanced education.

The Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations to be made for the 1998–99 academic year will provide for a student's resources to be set first against any tuition fees payable by him. The regulations are made under Section 1(5) of the Education Act 1962 and apply to students in England and Wales. Students' resources were set against fees from the academic year 1962–63, when that Act came into force, until 1976–77.Similar arrangements will apply in Northern Ireland, where the arrangements for student support have maintained a broad parity with the position applying to England and Wales. The Student Awards Regulations (Northern Ireland) made under Article 50(1) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 are based on the Mandatory Awards Regulations.Similar arrangements will also apply in Scotland in academic year 1998–99 under the terms of the Students' Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 1996, as amended. The original legislation in Scotland was the Education (Scotland) Act 1962 and the relevant provisions are now consolidated in Sections 73 and 74 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Students' resources were set against fees from the inception of the scheme in the 1960s until academic year 1977–78.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is any ceiling to the interest rate which may be charged to students for loans under Clause 16(3) of the Teaching and Higher Education Bill. 11–11.1481

Our intention is that the interest rate applied to loans should continue to be linked to the RPI as at present. However, the detailed arrangements for accruing interest will be complex because of the time lags which will result from collecting loan repayments through the tax system. We are currently considering the issues and will, if appropriate, bring forward an amendment to the Teaching and Higher Education Bill in due course to clarify the position.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the consultation document on the national performance framework referred to in the Government's White Paper.

We are publishing the consultation document today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what extent Article K7(6) of the Treaty of Amsterdam could affect the present British constitutional position that "no parliament can bind the hands of its successors".HL5

Under Article K7(6) of the Treaty on European Union, as substituted by the Amsterdam Treaty, the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice is limited to reviewing the actions of the Council, and does not extend to measures taken by member states to give effect in their national law to any resulting obligations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action is being taken to control immigration advisers. [HL261]

Our manifesto commits us to controlling unscrupulous immigration advisers. We have examined the options for delivering on this commitment and will tomorrow place a copy of a consultation paper in the Library at 9am. Copies of the consultation paper will be sent to interested parties and further copies will be available on request. Comments are invited by 23 March.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people over and under 21 respectively died in 1997 in the custody of the Prison Service in England and Wales; the Prison Service in Scotland; the police in England and Wales; the police in Scotland; the special hospitals in England and Wales and the Armed Forces respectively; how many of the deaths in each of these cases were self inflicted; and what proportion each of these figures represented of the average number in custody during the year in each of these classes of establishment.[HL48]

The available information is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many individuals have received maternity benefits, during each of the last five years for which information or estimates are available (a) exceeding £18,000; (b) between £10,000 and £18,000 per week; (c) between £1,000 and £9,999 per week.[HL63)

The information is not available in the form requested and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the monthly admission figures for the Royal Armouries in Leeds since their opening; and, in each month, how many were adults and children paying the full charge; how many were parties of children paying a reduced rate or no charge; and how many were complimentary.

The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds is owned and operated by Royal Armouries (International) plc (RAI), the private sector partner of the Royal Armouries. RAI have provided the following monthly admission figures for the Royal Armouries in Leeds since its opening. I will write further to the noble Lord about the availability of details of the pricing structure and the public's response to it.