The Queen's Speech: 10 things you need to know
Counter-Terrorism Bill
The fourth such bill in six years, it means police will be allowed to question terrorist suspects after they have been charged – something they can currently only do in certain circumstances. It will also ban convicted terrorists from travelling overseas, although cross-parties pleas to permit the use of phone-tapping evidence in court seem to have been ignored. The amount of time suspects can be held without charge may also be extended from the current 28 days, but we don’t yet know by how long.
Education and Skills Bill
This will effectively raise the school leaving age from 16 to 18, in a bid to reduce the number of “NEETs” – young people not in education, employment or training – in England and Wales. Employers will also be obligated to release young people for one day’s training per week, and parents and local authorities will have a duty to ensure young people take part.
Climate Change Bill
Published in draft form earlier this year, this creates a legal framework to reduce carbon emissions – the world’s first – by at least 60% on 1990 levels by 2050. It also allows for pilot schemes by councils to help cut household waste and promote recycling, and will apply throughout most of the UK. Environmental groups have welcomed it, but insist the government should go even further, cutting emissions by up to 80%. Also included was the Energy Bill, which provides greater incentives for the production of renewable energy and paves the way for a new generation of nuclear power stations. The bill will make it easier for private firms to invest in offshore gas supply infrastructure and "carbon capture" research.
Constitutional Renewal (draft) Bill
This promises to "strengthen the relationship between government, parliament and the people" and give MPs more clout to hold the government to account. The prime minister will lose the power to send troops to war without Commons’ approval and Parliament may be given the power to ratify treaties. The role of the attorney general may also be overhauled so that it no longer influences key prosecution decisions.
Protection for savers
A timely addition, legislation is to be introduced that will protect savers’ money in the event of a bank collapse. The failings of the present system were cruelly exposed in September when mortgage lender Northern Rock suffered Britain's first bank run in 150 years. The bill will also update the framework for dealing with banks in “financial difficulties”.
Planning Reform Bill
Part of the government’s bid to tackle Britain’s crippling housing shortage, this will speed up and simplify the planning process, allowing the building of much-needed new homes and infrastructure. Critics, however, have warned that it will reduce people’s say in development plans in their local area, making it easier for developers to implement large-scale projects – including airport expansions and motorway-widening – unopposed.
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill
This will amend self-defence laws to ensure people who act with “reasonable force” to protect themselves, others and their property are fully protected by the law. It means non-dangerous criminals who breach the terms of their release will be jailed for just 28 days, rather than having to serve the rest of their sentence, in a bid to ease prison-overcrowding. And it will simplify the laws concerning immigration. New entrants may have to take – and pass – English language tests, though, a move considered contentious by many in the migrant community.
Citizenship (draft) Bill
The sole surprise on the day, this will simplify immigration laws and incorporate recommendations from an ongoing review into citizenship by former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, who has been asked by Gordon Brown to examine the legal definition of what it means to be a British citizen.
EU Reform Treaty Bill
One of Brown’s biggest headaches is back on the parliamentary agenda and due to be signed by EU heads of government in December. Designed to make the enlarged 27-state European Union function more effectively, it will replace the European Union Constitution which failed in 2005 when it was not unanimously ratified.
Health and Social Care Bill
A new regulator will be created, with the power to fine failing hospitals and shut down wards that don’t meet hygiene standards. It’s being packaged as an attempt to reverse the fortunes of a beleaguered NHS and halt the spread of superbugs in hospitals, but the medical fraternity has warned it is simply over-burdening doctors and nurses with bureaucracy.
