The Queen's Speech: The Bills
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Your support makes all the difference.Education (Reduction in Class Sizes) Bill Money raised from phasing out the Assisted-Place Scheme to reduce classes.
Education Bill To raise school standards; give parents a role on local education authorities; help to finance school repairs; change policies on selection in grammar schools; establish a General Teaching Council; new student loans.
Bank of England Bill Bank takes control of interest rates; Bill also provides for greater accountability of the Bank.
National Health Service (Private Finance) Bill Clarifies the power of NHS Trusts to enter into contracts with the private sector to build hospitals under the Private Finance Initiative.
Competition Bill Reforms and strengthens competition law; prohibits anti-competitive deals and abuse of market power.
Statutory Right to Interest on Debts Bill A new right to claim interest on late payment of commercial debts and a requires large firms to declare how many bills they paid late.
National Minimum Wage Bill Provides a statutory national minimum wage.
Finance Bill Enacts the Budget expected next month.
Referendum (Scotland and Wales) Bill Authorises referenda on a Scottish parliament and a Welsh assembly.
Crime and Disorder Bill Fast-track punishment for young offenders; replaces repeat cautions with a single final police warning; scrapping the assumption that children aged 10-13 cannot tell the difference between right and wrong; new sentencing powers.
Firearms (Amendment) (No 2) Bill Extends the ban on private possession of handguns to small-calibre weapons, although the Government will offer a free vote in the Commons.
National Lottery (Amendment) Bill Allows Lottery funds to be used to promote education, health and other initiatives.
Local Authority (Capital Receipts) Bill Aimed at allowing local authorities to use receipts from the sale of council houses for building new homes and renovating old ones.
Scotland Bill Subject to the result of the referendum, this will establish the Scottish Parliament.
Wales Bill Also subject to the referendum, this will set up a Welsh Senedd, inheriting the powers of the Welsh Secretary.
European Convention on Human Rights Bill Allows UK citizens to enforce their rights without having to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Data Protection Bill Applies stronger protection to personal, computerised and manually held records.
Greater London Authority (Referendum) Bill Referendum for new strategic authority for the London and elected mayor.
Regional Development Agencies Bill New bodies in the regions to encourage inward investment and small businesses.
Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Bill Will replace and re-enact provisions to preserve peace and law and order
Northern Ireland (Parades and Marches) Bill Transfers decisions on marches from the police to a new Parades Commission
European Communities (Amendment) Bill Will be needed after the rolling Inter-Governmental Conference on Europe is completed to ratify a new EU Treaty.
Bills promised but not identified in speech:
Social Security Bill Simplifies benefits decision-making and appeals process and introduces new National Insurance measures.
Immigration Appeals (Amendment) Bill Remedies deficiencies for deporting those who are a threat to national security.
Wireless Telegraphy (Radio Spectrum) Bill Introduces auctions of radio spectrum, likely to lead to higher charges for mobile phone users and taxi firms.
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Ratification Bill to ratify the international agreement to end nuclear weapons testing.
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