Queen’s Speech

22 June 2017

 

The Queens’ Speech was unsurprisingly dominated with the government’s priority to secure the best possible deal as the country leaves the European Union.

 

The Queens’ Speech marks the start of the Parliamentary year and has added significance after a change of government. It focuses on the government's policies and outlines the proposed legislative programme for the new parliamentary session.

 

Key items from the speech include:

  • To secure the best possible deal as the country leaves the European Union.
  • New national policies on immigration, international sanctions, nuclear safeguards, agriculture, and fisheries.
  • New bills on trade and customs to help to implement an independent trade policy.
  • Strengthen the economy to support the creation of jobs and generate the tax revenues needed to invest in the NHS, schools, and other public services.
  • Continue to improve the public finances, while keeping taxes low.
  • Continue to work to ensure that every child has the opportunity to attend a good school and that all schools are fairly funded.
  • Ensure people have the skills they need for the high-skilled, high-wage jobs of the future, including through a major reform of technical education.
  • The National Living Wage will be increased so that people who are on the lowest pay benefit from the same improvements in earnings as higher paid workers.
  • Enhance rights and protections in the modern workplace.
  • Make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people on the basis of their race, faith, gender, disability or sexual orientation.
  • New legislation to protect the victims of domestic violence and abuse.
  • Reform mental health legislation and ensure that mental health is prioritised in the NHS in England.
  • Ban unfair tenant fees, promote fairness and transparency in the housing market, and help ensure more homes are built.
  • Improve social care and bring forward proposals for consultation.
  • Measures to help tackle unfair practices in the energy market to help reduce energy bills.
  • Build a more united country, strengthening the social, economic and cultural bonds between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
  • Work in cooperation with the devolved administrations, and with all of the parties in Northern Ireland to support the return of devolved government.
  • New law to ensure that the UK retains its regime protecting personal data.
  • New digital charter to ensure that the UK is the safest place to be online.
  • Modernise the courts system.
  • Reduce motor insurance premiums.
  • Full public inquiry into fire at Grenfell Tower to ascertain the causes, and ensure that the appropriate lessons are learnt.
  • Continued investment in Armed Forces, meeting the NATO commitment to spend at least two per cent of national income on defence.
  • Counter-terrorism strategy to be reviewed to ensure that the police and security services have all the powers they need.
  • Length of custodial sentences for terrorism-related offences will be reviewed to ensure they are sufficient to keep the population safe.
  • Find sustainable political solutions to conflicts across the Middle East.

 


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