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Queen unveils 22 new Bills in a blueprint for radical change
Joe Murphy, Paul Waugh, Nicholas Cecil and Pippa Crerar25 May 2010
Sweeping new laws to reform schools, police forces, hospitals and welfare were promised today as David Cameron pledged to govern for “freedom,
fairness and responsibility”.
Some 22 new Bills were announced in the first Queen's Speech of the new Parliament, transforming the Cameron-Clegg coalition into a full-blooded blueprint for radical change. Most of the Bills had been trailed or leaked in advance but there were still a few surprises, including laws to tackle “Heathrow hassle” by forcing airport chiefs to improve conditions for passengers.
Among highlights of the 18-month programme of legislation were:
* Capping immigration each year from non-EU countries and setting up a border police force.
* Creating hundreds of new academy schools.
* Giving more choice to NHS patients and other public service users.
* Political reforms including fixed term parliaments and the power to sack an MP over serious misconduct.
* Scrapping ID cards and electing police leaders.
* Removing benefits from welfare cheats.
But overhanging the new Parliament is the issue of the £163 billion deficit and the need to cut spending. The Queen's Speech, which is written by ministers, described the deficit as the “first priority” of the new government.
The State Opening of the new Parliament was carried out with all the pomp of centuries of tradition, despite a heavy police presence to watch over anti-war demonstrators outside.
After the Yeoman Usher (standing in for Black Rod who was ill) summoned MPs to the Lords to hear the speech, Labour's Dennis Skinner quipped “no Royal Commissions this week”, a reference to policy decisions that have been put off by the coalition.
Mr Cameron walked to the Lords alongside acting Labour leader Harriet Harman, with Nick Clegg walking behind with Jack Straw.
Kenneth Clarke performed the ceremonial role as Lord Chancellor, breaking tradition by turning his back on the Queen as he walked away from the throne. It was unclear if he had permission for the move, perhaps on safety grounds, or had made a mistake.
The new programme reflects heavy compromises reached by the Conservatives and Lib-Dems.
Speaking from the throne in the House of Lords for her 56th state opening, the Queen said: “My government's legislative programme will be based upon the principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility. The first priority is to reduce the deficit and restore economic growth.”
In this afternoon's debate, Mr Cameron was expected to pledge to govern “in the national interest” and to say that freedom was a key value because the State had “become over-mighty”.He was expected to highlight the rise of child poverty under Labour despite record spending by the state.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh exchanged words with Commons officials, before returning to their coach for the journey back to Buckingham Palace, after 45 minutes at the Palace of Westminster.
Policy by policy: The proposals set out by new Government
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM
A Bill will bring in five-year fixed-term Parliaments, abolishing the Prime Minister's power to call an election at will. The next election will be on May 7 2015. The Commons could be dissolved early if a PM is backed by 55 per cent of all MPs — a threshold of 358 votes.
There will also be a referendum on the Alternative Vote system. On reform of the House of Lords, a committee will report back by the end of the year. After the expenses scandal, local voters will be able to recall an MP guilty of serious wrongdoing, forcing a by-election if more than a 10th sign a petition. A Bill will also reduce the number of MPs and re-draw constituency boundaries.
BANKING
New powers to curb risk-taking in the City will be given to the Governor of the Bank of England in a Financial Reform Bill. It will make Mervyn King responsible for monitoring overall risks and imbalances.
SCHOOLS
An Academies Bill will give 600 secondaries and 2,000 primaries rated “outstanding” by inspectors a right to opt out of local authority control. Some will change by September. There are currently 200 academies, all of them secondaries. Parents, teachers, charities could all bid for funding to open their own state schools.
ENERGY
An Energy Bill will allow householders to insulate their homes or install green technology under “pay-as-you-save” schemes. Energy firms could have to provide more information on bills to help consumers choose the best supplier. New powers could be introduced to regulate emissions from coal-fired power stations and reform energy markets to ensure security of supply and fair competition. It may also be used to set up a Green Investment Bank and develop a “smart” electricity grid.
POLICE REFORM
A Police Reform Bill will attempt to bring new accountability to police forces including by a “directly elected individual”. In London, Boris Johnson would be the elected commissioner and the London Assembly would take over the scrutiny role from the Metropolitan Police Authority, which would be scrapped. Mr Johnson would be responsible for recruiting chief constables, shaping strategy, co-ordinating budgets, and holding Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson to account. Most senior officers fear the plans will politicise policing.
CIVIL LIBERTIES
A Great Repeal Bill will “roll back” the state by restricting the scope of the DNA database, regulating the use of CCTV and putting limits on the use of internet and email records. It will restore the right to non-violent protest — allowing members of the public to protest peacefully without fear of being criminalised — and bring in safeguards against the misuse of anti-terror legislation.
PENSIONS
The Pensions and Savings Bill will set up an independent review of the state pension age. Under Labour, it was due to go up from 65 to 66 from 2026. But the Coalition wants to put it up to 66 for men from 2016 and for women from 2020. With an ageing population, pension costs will spiral without reform. The Conservatives estimate that they will save £13 billion a year under their plans. The review aims to make the state pension affordable over the long-term, particularly after it is linked to earnings from 2012.
WELFARE
The Welfare Reform Bill will streamline the currently complex benefits system to create a single new pathway from welfare to work. By making the system simpler, ministers hope to increase the incentives for work and also to reduce the scope for fraud and error, which last year cost £3 billion. At present, 200,000 people a year move between Jobseekers' Allowance and Incapacity Benefit and the Government wants to reduce “unnecessary administration” of such similar benefits. It wants to get the 5 million people presently “languishing on benefits into work and out of poverty”.
FLEXIBLE WORKING/EQUAL PAY
One of the most radical measures in the Speech does not yet have a bill, largely because business is worried and needs to be fully consulted first. The Coalition wants to extend the right to request flexible hours to all workers. At present, just parents of children under 16 have the right, but the new policy aims to allow staff to arrange their work patterns to care for grandchildren and even neighbours. Another big move, to close the 16 per cent gender pay gap, will involve “a range of non-legislative and legislative measures”. It could include allowing parents to swap maternity and paternity leave and the promotion of “gender equality” on boards of listed companies.
Reader views (14)
It is quite inflammatory that some Labour MP's still confuse National Debt and the structural deficit. NO wonder they left a mess. the Debt is what we owe and the deficit is the rate at which that debt is increasing:-
Public sector net debt is now £893.4bn
Public spending deficit for 2010-11: £157bn (that's how fast the debt is increasing)
Forecast public sector net debt for 2014-15: £1,406bn
Net spending cuts outlined by George Osborne and David Laws: £5.7bn (after £500m of £6.2bn cuts is reinvested)
Public sector net debt as proportion of GDP (2009-10): 54.1%
Public sector net debt as proportion of GDP (2014-15; estimate): 74.9%
Add to that another £1 trillion for the Public Sector gold-plated pensions deficit!
- Anglo, Sussex England, 26/05/2010 06:27
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Mark, London - Scotlands government is more like a glorified council at present as it does not have government powers like taking a country to war or levying income tax etc so a different voting system in their parliament which has mainly consisted of coellitions is ok.
But given that these changes were not presented to the people at the election the fact is their is mandate to change the way governments fall when the loose their majority in the house.
As to my comments about loosers well fact is this was an election where everyone was a looser its just some like to live in fantasy land!!
As to the last 12 years well High speed 1, massive investment in schools and hospitals (i.e repairing roofs for when the sun dont shine!) as the the present shower well Things can only get worse!!
Well if this government thinks it can save money by cutting grants to industry then it will soon learn that other countries like France and Germany will offer funds to help them re-locate to their countries and not only will thousands of jobs be lost in those companies but also the companies that provide supplies and the small businesses like shops and cafes that cater for the workforce will go under.
(ps Cameron liked his portrayal as Gene Hunt I wonder if he saw the final episode of Ashes to Ashes which explained Genes situation!)
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 25/05/2010 19:30
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Sorry not to see Gordon today.
- Stephen C, London, 25/05/2010 17:42
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Capping immigration from non-EU countries will make hardly any difference at all. It's nonsense to try and allay people's concerns about the demands made on employment and services from immigrants by making such a statement. It's already almost impossible to get an entry visa to the UK from a non-EU country and numbers are down to a trickle. Mass immigration for the past four years or so has been from the EU, and this will continue. By the way, from another article in today's Standard, sending back the Eastern European "tube pickpockets" won't stop them - they can just get the next coach back to Victoria.
- Pam, London, UK, 25/05/2010 17:01
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Pity the oalition cannot stop the lout prescott from becoming a lord.M y god what a state of affairs.
- melvyn, benidorm,spain, 25/05/2010 15:47
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Maggie tried to impose the Poll Tax in Scotland...Now for a suggestion to get us out of this fix we're in...
Why not impose an across the board 1% wealth tax on everyone, in one go...
1% tax on the bottom 80% of the population will probably yield the same amount as 1% tax on the top 20%.
So it would be considered a fairer method of reducing the debt....Simple really.
Imagine a 1% wealth tax on all those wealthy people in the S.E.....
I'm sure they wouldn't mind, would they..!!!???
After all, who has benefited most from the excesses of the last 20years...
Now lets see... 1% of my wealth...how do I work out what my wealth is....Easiest method is to assume one's wealth is tied up in property (and fixed assets)....So value of one's property/ properties (minus any mortgage) would be a good starting point plus value of all shareholdings at current value plus any assets in a foreign country...
Can anyone think of a fairer way to do this....Lets have some practical ideas please....
We should be having a national discussion on this....Everyone I am sure would welcome the fairest way of reducing our debt....so come on get some ideas going...
Why hasn’t Labour not considered a Wealth Tax, I wonder….Probably because they resided too close to the CITY….
- Coplani, Inverurie, U.K., 25/05/2010 15:05
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Melvyn - you must be very confused if you think that everyone is going to forget the last 13yrs of labour as long as they offer FPTP and a simple majority?!? Also, remind me what the % was that Labour imposed in Scotland?
I'm also not sure who this firm is that produces P60s - given that they are issued to every PAYE employee every year, I assume you believe that employment will be rising under this new government if this mystical firm is about to prosper?
- Mark, London, 25/05/2010 13:28
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Putting the Frank bashing aside, transport in London is extremely important in the recovery process; to lessen any subsidy is very short-sighted and puts more reliance upon private transport, which damages the environment and only assists the wealthy who have decent employment. This is very bad, and we have waited to many many years for decent, affordable transportation in this country. A terrible decision.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 25/05/2010 13:10
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@Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex. Who are the losers-Conservatives? You have a strange sense of humour! The speech will not be voted down, and your UKIP/Labour support should be for another day.
- James, Manchester, 25/05/2010 13:10
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Well I am thrilled with the crack down on benefit cheats. However, I would like to know exactly how they intend to achieve this back to work ethos in the terminally lazy. Flexible working hours is a disaster waiting to happen for businesses. I have never agreed with parents always having this right, and others without children having to suffer their absence and cover their work. Although fairer to extend this to all workers, can you imagine a small business trying to manage on this basis? Not likely. I do think it would be fair to ask employers to offer sabaticals for single, childless people who have given numerous years of uninterrupted time to their employers without taking maternity, paternity , or time off to tend to sick children etc. Now that would be a fair reward.
- Maya, London, 25/05/2010 13:03
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I notice lack of comment from the usual Blue, Frank from the "home counties" (which means he lives in London but likes to say he lives in Kent or long defunct Middlesex). Come on Frank, give us your view on this...or is it too much to take in on a Tuesday afternoon?
- Rod, Epping, UK, 25/05/2010 13:01
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The sooner disgruntled Tories and genuine Lib Dems and not the Con Dems find the courage to vote down this speech the sooner we can re-claim our democracy where a government falls by falling to command the majority of the house. A rule change that is introduced only to suit this couple of losers and has no relevance to fixed term parliaments.
i also reckon that following this example of saying one thing before an election and trying to contradict oneself after the election a new Labour leader with a promise to restore FPTP voting and a simple majority would receive a landslide which would make Tonys 1997 Majority look small!!!
I reckon the firm that produces P60s must have a very large order coming!!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 25/05/2010 11:54
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Curious about how potentially good schools in the future will deal with pupils who can disrupt things to the point of reducing the achievements of others! I mean it's clear that their parents cannot and will not in some cases do anything to stop this, except sometimes produce a third and fourth to take off where their older siblings left off! It really is a mess!
- M, London, 25/05/2010 11:40
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Real improvements for all our children's schooling, lovely, it's been a long time coming! (from the seventies I would say!)
From someone who experienced personally the failure of our school system and who saw first hand how the schools could only facilitate the abilities of selected students as it did with my older brothers and younger sister (a sister who recognized during school that she was going to be left like me to, the natural order of things in school in those times and surprisingly today! and fight back by applying herself against all the odds), who excelled as first generation blacks in the seventies in their secondary schools (with one brother passing his entrance exams for grammer school before the closures. But more important than anything we all received the same opportunity up to age 11, which if you have to choose and loose out in your education then for me first 11 years should never be a compromise!
Michael Gove, Knew you were going to be a gem!
S.
- M, London, 25/05/2010 09:29
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