The Queen’s Speech put reforming Britain’s public services at the centre of Labour’s second term agenda. But the government also announced a series of other bills – on international development, reducing poverty, reform of the House of Lords and increasing the representation of women in parliament – which advance long-standing Labour goals.
Education
The government plans new measures to make further improvements in school standards, with a special emphasis on raising the performance of secondary schools. There will be a push to increase school diversity and autonomy, as well as an increase in the number of academic and vocational pathways open to children over fourteen.
Health
New NHS legislation will decentralise more power to the frontline. Three-quarters of the health service’s spending power will go to the frontline. There will be provisions to allow for NHS funding to be allotted directly to primary care trusts and to strengthen the mechanisms for patient power in the NHS.
Tax credits
The new Pension Credit will replace Income Support for pensioners, providing a more generous and less intrusive means test. There will be a be guaranteed level of pensioner income of no less than £100 per week. The new Integrated Tax Credit for families with children is also featured in the Queen’s Speech, bringing together Income Support, Jobseekers’ Allowance, Working Families’ Tax Credit and the Children’s Tax Credit. There will be a new Employment Tax Credit, encompassing the adult elements of the Working Families’ Tax Credit.
Travel concessions
A new bill will extend eligibility for reduced travel fares to men aged 60 to 64, benefiting one million men. This legislation brings to eight million the number of people benefiting from statutory travel concessions.
International development
New legislation will establish into law that the reduction of poverty is the central aim of Britain’s international development assistance. It will make unlawful ‘tied aid’, the use of aid for improper commercial or political ends. The legislation will also enable support for organisations taking on development awareness activities.
Export control and non-proliferation
The government is to modernise the export control powers and provide for the clear parliamentary scrutiny of export control powers. There will be a licensing system for arms trafficking and brokering.
House of Lords
The much-awaited second stage of House of Lords reform is signalled in the Queen’s Speech with the removal of the remaining hereditary peers. An electoral system for the regionally elected element of the Lords will be established, as well as a new Lords appointment process. New rules will determine the balance of political parties in the House of Lords.
Women’s representation
Legislation will be introduced to allow political parties to make positive moves to increase the representation of women in public life. Political parties will be able to bring more women into parliament thanks to the resolution of the issues surrounding all-women and gender-based shortlists. At the same time, the legislation will ensure women-only shortlists are not imposed on parties that do not want them.
Hunting
The government will allow another free vote on the issue of fox hunting.