National Policy Forum - Your Southeast CLP representatives

Queen’s Speech 2007

There were 29 bills and draft bills mentioned in the Queen’s Speech on November 6 2007.


Health:

The Health and Social Care Bill establishes the Care Quality Commission to inspect and intervene in failing hospitals, private clinics, mental health establishments and care homes. It will also become easier to remove failing doctors. This bill has been published and more details are here

The Human Tissues and Embryos Bill, which updates regulation of laws in this area. The bill will ensure that the creation of embryos for research is regulated, puts a ban on selecting the gender of babies for non-medical reasons and recognises the rights of same-sex couples to become legal parents to babies conceived though donated eggs or sperm.


Education and Skills:

The Apprenticeships draft Bill applies to England, and will probably establish the right to an apprenticeship for all 16 to 18 year olds who want one.

The Children and Young Persons Bill allows councils to organise children’s care in different ways, and put a block on school moves for children in care in the two years before and including GCSEs (except in exceptional circumstances). It means that children will not be forced out of care before they are ready.

The Education and Skills Bill will revolutionise education, as it makes school education or training compulsory for 16 to 18 year olds by 2015. Employers will have a duty to release young people for the equivalent of a day’s training a week, and parents and local authorities will be obliged to make sure young people participate.

The Dormant Bank Accounts Bill will be a huge boost for youth services, allowing the government to use money in accounts not used for 15 years to provide more youth facilities.

The Sale of Student Loans Bill confirms the plans announced in the 2007 budget to sell the book of student loans, raising £6bn over three years.


Crime, Justice, Citizenship and Equalities:

The Citizenship and Immigration draft Bill will implement recommendations of Lord Goldsmith’s review of citizenship.

There will be a new Counter-Terrorism Bill to allow the questioning of terrorist suspects after charging them, as well as controls on convicted terrorists after release.

The new Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill will introduce Violent Offender Orders to restrict violent offenders after release; modify rules on self-defence; and toughen rules on the possession of internet pornography.


Sustainable Communities:

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill clarifies the legal position of the Link, prior to a restructuring of the company owning the link. The Crossrail Bill gives the powers to build the Crossrail link from west to east across London.

The Climate Change Bill sets the legal framework for legal binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 26-32% by 2020 and 60% by 2050. It also allows pilot schemes for councils to reduce household waste.

The Constitutional Renewal draft Bill will aim to rebalance the distribution of power between the government and parliament, implementing many of the suggestions made by the Prime Minister in his first speech to Parliament after becoming PM. There is no bill yet published, but the government also announced that they will bring forward proposals for party funding and spending.

The Energy Bill gives greater incentives for renewable energy schemes and makes it easier for firms to invest in carbon capture schemes. It also makes investment in nuclear waste processing easier.

The Housing and Regeneration Bill merges the Housing Corporation (who fund social house building) with English Partnerships (who plan house building in growth areas). This should make it easier to provide more social housing. The Planning Reform Bill will set up a new separate planning process for major infrastructure projects, to speed them up, and remove the need for planning permission for many home improvements.

The Local Transport Bill will allow councils more flexibility in planning transport, including powers to set up local road pricing schemes.

There are also two marine bills, to make planning of marine developments easier and improving lighthouse and port safety regimes. A new bill will create a unified scheme to protect heritage sites, closing loopholes and sorting out distinctions between listing and scheduling.


Prosperity and Work:

The Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill replaces the CSA with a new Commission, with tougher powers to make absentee parents pay for their children. It also sets up a compensation scheme for the asbestos-related disease, mesothelioma.

The Employment Bill will make enforcement of employment law cleaner and stronger, and with new ways to resolve disputes more quickly.

The National Insurance Contributions Bill follows the budget announcements and harmonises the upper earnings limit for NI with the higher income tax threshold.

The Pensions Bill will mean all eligible workers will be enrolled into a pension scheme, with a minimum employer contribution.

The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill will aim to reduce “unnecessary burdens” on businesses.


Britain in the World:

The EC Finance Bill amends our law to reflect the way we now finance the EU budget. The EU Reform Treaty Bill will bring into UK law the EU Reform Treaty due to be signed in December.

There is also a bill to ratify the 1954 convention protecting cultural artefacts during wars.