Economy ‘is overriding priority’

Fighting the economic downturn is the government’s „overriding priority“ for the year ahead, the Queen has said.
In a slimmed down legislative programme, the government will attempt to prevent another banking crisis and protect depositors.
Other measures in the Queen’s Speech include forcing the long-term jobless to make more of an effort to find work.
And immigrants who commit crimes or make no effort to integrate will have to wait longer to become UK citizens.
But in a speech to MPs and peers, amid the traditional pomp and ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament, the Queen said: „My government’s overriding priority is to ensure the stability of the British economy during the global economic downturn.
„My government is committed to helping families and businesses through difficult times.“
Bills in the Queen’s Speech include:

• Welfare Reform Bill: Plans to make the long-term unemployed in England, Scotland and Wales start training courses or face benefit cuts and to assess skills when people first claim.

• Citizenship, Immigration and Borders Bill: Brings together customs and immigration and introduces a new path to citizenship which rewards good behaviour but holds the process up „if migrants don’t make an effort to integrate or commit even minor crimes“.

• Banking Bill: Gives Bank of England statutory duty to ensure financial stability and allows the Treasury and FSA to intervene earlier to prevent another bank crisis. Was introduced early and has already started its passage through Parliament.

• Policing and Crime Bill: Increases accountability of police through directly elected representatives on police authorities. Tightens control of lap dancing clubs and cracks down on cheap alcohol sales.

• Equality Bill: for England, Wales and Scotland – Aims to streamline laws on sex, race and religious discrimination, improve enforcement and allow political parties to use all-women shortlists until 2030.

• Health Bill: Establishes an NHS Constitution outlining the rights and responsibilities of staff and patients.

• Child Poverty Bill: Will „enshrine in law the government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020“.

• Children, Skills and Learning Bill: New legislation to fulfil the government’s pledge to eliminate weak schools by 2011.

There were 18 bills in the draft Queen’s Speech, but this has been stripped down to 12, plus two carried over from the previous Parliamentary session, making it the shortest Queen’s Speech since Labour came to power in 1997.
‘Missed opportunity’
The opposition claim the government has run out of ideas.

It is a programme of a government that has no vision for the country

William HagueShadow foreign secretary

At-a-glance: Bill by bill

Analysis: Queen’s Speech

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the speech was a „huge missed opportunity“ which contained nothing about vital issues such as housing, soaring fuel costs and how banks lend money to business.
„It actually abandons people when help is needed,“ said Mr Clegg.
Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, for the Conservatives, said ministers were more concerned with tackling „failures of the past 10 years“ than „taking this country into the future“.
„It is a programme of a government that has no vision for the country,“ Mr Hague told the BBC News Channel.
But ministers say they want to focus their efforts on the economy.
Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne said the Queen’s Speech was about delivering „real help now for families and businesses to help them get through the downturn“ and putting in place measures to ensure people benefitted when the upturn came.
Binge drinking
Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, has reportedly gone through the bills to consider their impact from a business perspective.
Plans to ban shops from displaying cigarettes in shops have been put on hold for further consultation amid fears they would hit small retailers.
But the Department of Health said new restrictions on the sale of tobacco aimed at protecting children, particularly those from a poor background, would be announced shortly.

The PM is aware that this Queen’s Speech risks being overshadowed not just by Speaker Martin’s statement but by virtually anything else

Nick RobinsonBBC political editor

Read Nick’s blog in full

Pubs and bars are also likely to face a mandatory code of conduct banning „£10 all you can drink“ deals and similar promotions and fines for drinking in public places where it is banned will go up from £500 to £2,500.
Among the bills not included is the Communications Data Bill, thought to include proposals for a giant database of all phone and internet traffic, which has been put out for further consultation.
Gordon Brown’s much-vaunted Constitutional Renewal Bill – which would give MPs the final say over war and remove a ban on protests outside Parliament – has also been put on hold, to return when Parliamentary time allows.
Plans to extend the right to request flexible working to many more parents are included despite concerns about the impact on businesses during a likely recession.
Families on lower incomes are to be encouraged to save more through financial incentives.

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And a voluntary code of conduct requiring banks to give customers notice if they plan to withdraw or alter credit facilities will be made mandatory, the government said, but this is not part of the Banking Bill.
Among the more eye-catching measures thought to be included in proposed welfare reforms are lie detector tests for people claiming benefits – already used by 25 councils – to try to reduce fraud.
But TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the proposals looked like a „leftover from pre-recessionary times“.
And the SNP said the Queen’s Speech showed the „UK government has its head in the sand over the current economic reality“.