Cllr Bob Belam

The Queen’s Speech unveiled 29 bills and draft bills, even if they’d mostly been revealed days if not weeks ago when Gordon Brown made what has been called his ‘pre-Queen’s Speech’. Subjects covered include cutting carbon emissions, using nuclear power to produce energy, making children go to school until they’re 18 and being able to hold terrorist suspects for up to 56 days.

Brown said: “On energy, housing, pensions, education, work-life balance, citizenship and anti-terrorism measures, the central purpose of this legislative programme is to make the right long-term changes to prepare and equip our country for the future and to meet the rising aspirations of the British people.”

Accusing the government of “recycling” many of the policies laid out, Tory leader David Cameron said the Queen’s Speech should have given people more opportunity and power over their lives, a “supply-side revolution” in schools, reduced stamp duty to help people on to the housing ladder and more power for local government.

“In this new age of unease we need to strengthen families and make our society more responsible,” he said. “Ending the couple penalty in the benefits system. Backing marriage in the tax system. Radical welfare reform to get people off benefits and into work. And in this new age of insecurity we need to make our country safer and greener. That means proper prison reform. It means real police reform.”

Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said Brown had produced no new ideas despite delaying a general election so that he could outline his vision for government.

Cable said: “The anticipation was acute - but the anti-climax is deafening. The legislative programme is firmly rooted in the Blair era. There is very little new. No ideas, no vision. Is this what we have been waiting for? Perhaps, lurking in this Queen’s Speech is a genuinely Big Idea: a Conservative-Labour grand coalition of policies and ideas. The one time editor of the Red Paper has penned a Queen’s speech in the bluest ink. Across wide swathes of policy his approach is indistinguishable from the Tories.”

The main bills were:

Apprenticeships (draft) Bill All 16- to 18-year-olds are entitled to an apprenticeship.

Climate Change Bill Carbon dioxide emissions to be cut by at least 60 per cent by 2050 and between 26 and 32 per cent by 2020.

Constitutional Renewal (draft) Bill To “rebalance power” between Parliament and the government and give MPs a say on such subjects as going to war and ratifying treaties.

Counter-Terrorism Bill To enable post-charge questioning of terrorist suspects, more use of their DNA and bans on convicted terrorists travelling overseas.

Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill Non-dangerous criminals who breach the terms of their release will be jailed for 28 days. There will also be restrictions on violent offenders and people will be able to use “reasonable force” to defend themselves and their properties.

Education and Skills Bill By 2015 all 16- to 18-year-olds will have to stay in education or training by 2015. Parents and councils will be responsible for making this happen.

Employment Bill To resolve disputes easier.

Energy Bill To encourage more use of renewable energy generation, including nuclear power. And to encourage more “carbon capture” research.

EU Reform Treaty Bill To bring into UK law the EU Reform Treaty.

Health and Social Care Bill To create the so-called ’super-regulator’ Care Quality Commission to inspect and intervene in failing hospitals.

Housing and Regeneration Bill To merge the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships and implement the recommendations of the Cave Review of Social Housing Regulation.

Local Transport Bill To give councils more freedom to formulate their transport policies, including road-pricing schemes.

Pensions Bill To ensure eligible workers are automatically enrolled into a pension scheme and employers give a minimum contribution.

Planning Reform Bill To create a separate planning system for major infrastructure projects and simplify the planning system for minor home improvements.

Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill To cut local authority regulations on businesses.

Sale of Student Loans Bill To sell the student loan book, which should raise £6bn over three years.

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill To replace the Child Support Agency with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.

Children and Young Persons Bill To ensure higher standards for children in care and to ensure children do not move schools in Years 10 and 11 where possible.

Citizenship and Immigration (draft) Bill To “take forward any recommendations” from the review of citizenship by Lord Goldsmith.

Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill To enable the government to spend money unclaimed for 15 years on youth facilities.

EC Finance Bill To enable the government to pay the EC budget from the Consolidated Fund.