Heavily trailed and containing no surprises this morning’s Queen’s Speech was something of a damp squib. Even the annual gag by Dennis Skinner, Labour's republican MP, fell a little flat: “Royal expenses are on their way,” he quipped as Black Rod strode into the Commons to summon MPs to the Lords. But what seemed a suggestion that he would like the Royal House subject to the same expenses scrutiny as MPs drew little in the way of laughter.Inevitably much of the media coverage has focused on the fact that few of the Bills announced are actually likely to get on the statute books, given the proximity of the general election and the little time left for Parliament to scrutinise legislation. The Tories have said the speech was more a election manifesto than legislative programme. In any case there was little for regenerators to get excited about.
As expected, the Child Poverty Bill will enshrine in law the Government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020 –even though the Government is well short of the stated milestones towards that target. This is matched by the Equality Bill, which will place a duty on all public bodies to consider how their policies will work to reduce inequality and meet the needs of different social groups.
The measures to crack down on antisocial behaviour outlined by the PM in October also appeared in the speech. These will be enshrined within the Crime and Security Bill and include legislation that will see all parents of young people who breach an Asbo hit with a parenting order. “And if that is broken they will pay the price,” Gordon Brown said back at the Labour Party conference in Brighton.
Elsewhere, the Digital Economy Bill will legislate to commit the government to universally available broadband in the UK by 2012 through a public fund and a 50p per month tax on telephone lines. And the Education and Families Bill will see parents given new guarantees that schools will raise their standards – as well as more powers for schools secretary Ed Balls to intervene and close schools deemed to be failing.
What was new came later in the Commons, when the PM set out four new uncosted "guarantees" for unemployed young people in a bid to tackle youth unemployment. For Her Majesty, however, there were just seven brief minutes in which to announce 13 Bills which everyone new all about already. No surprises then and precious little to cheer. What did you make of it?
Next stop the pre-budget report on December 9.
