Here is an at-a-glance list of the bills outlined in the 2008 Queen’s Speech programme today:

Banking Bill
Coming in the wake of recent concern about treatment of customers and the safety of people’s savings, this bill introduces “framework for protecting bank depositors”. The bill will allow the Bank of England and other authorities to intervene when a bank gets into severe difficulties. It promises to change the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to ensure faster payouts. It also gives the Bank of England a statutory “financial stability objective” and allows it to “lend in a more effective manner”. The bill, which applies to the entire UK, enables the Financial Services Authority to collect information from banks in difficulty and share it with the Treasury and Bank of England. It has already begun its passage through Parliament.

Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Bill
Promises a “fully integrated approach” to border control giving the Border Agency powers to carry out customs checks. The bill says that people who fail to integrate in the UK, or commit “even minor crimes” will have their citizenship applications slowed down. It also says the government will bring in a new duty on the UK Border Agency to recognise the need to safeguard children’s welfare. Applies to the whole UK.

Business Rates Supplements Bill
Not mentioned in the speech itself, this bill allows councils to set a supplement of up to 2 pence in the pound on rateable values to promote economic development in their area. Extends to England and Wales.

Child Poverty Bill
Enshrines in law the government’s commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020

Children, Skills and Learning Bill
Mostly applying to England, it calls for more flexible school inspections and a new pay negotiation body for classroom assistants. Schools will be required to work together to tackle bad behaviour and be given powers to search pupils for alcohol, drugs and stolen goods. The bill also promises an apprenticeship place for every suitably qualified young person by 2013

Coroners and Justice Bill
Promises new “investigative witness anonymity” to protect witnesses to gang-related killings. Reforms murder law, including abolishing the partial defence of provocation. “Modernises” the law on assisted suicide to increase “public understanding”. Establishes a Sentencing Council for England and Wales to make sentencing more consistent. Introduces a scheme to stop criminals selling their stories. The bill applies to England and Wales, with some elements extending to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Equality Bill
Applying to England, Scotland and Wales, the bill would ban secrecy clauses in work contracts which forbid staff comparing wages, in an effort to equalise men’s and women’s pay.

Health Bill
Mostly applying to England only, this bill offers a new NHS Constitution, setting out the rights and responsibilities of patients and staff. It extends the remit of the Local Government Ombudsman to look at complaints from people who have arranged their own adult social care.

Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill
This bill applies mainly to England, with some parts applying to Wales and very little to Scotland and Northern Ireland. It places a duty on councils to “promote democracy” and monitor local economic conditions; makes it a legal duty for them to respond to petitions; and demands the setting-up of a National Tenant Voice to ensure tenants’ views are “central” to housing decision-making. It would make the Boundary Committee for England a separate body from the Electoral Commission.

Marine and Coastal Access Bill
Gives people the right to walk around the English coast, with Wales making its own arrangement. Sets up a Marine Management Organisation to oversee marine conservation and related policy. Does not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Policing and Crime Bill
This bill applies to England and Wales, with some elements extending to Scotland and Northern Ireland. It promises tighter controls around lapdancing clubs, with venues having to apply for the same type of licences as sex shops. The bill also promises a crackdown on binge drinking, with pubs and clubs possibly having to sign up to a compulsory code of conduct, banning some promotions which are seen to encourage drunkenness. The government says it will strengthen sex offender prevention orders and foreign travel orders. It urges more co-operation between agencies over airport security.

Political Parties and Elections Bill
Carried over from the 2007/08 session, this bill strengthens the investigative powers of the Electoral Commission and regulates the spending of political candidates for longer periods so it can be “more effectively constrained”. Covers the whole UK.

Saving Gateway Accounts Bill
This bill, applying to the whole UK, is aimed at getting people on lower incomes to save more. The government will contribute 50 pence for every one pound saved – with savers able to build up government contributions of up to £300.

Welfare Reform Bill
Aimed at creating “incentives” for people to return to work and “consequences” for those who do not, this bill applies to England, Scotland and Wales. It promises more “sanctions” against people who do not attend job centre interviews and work-focussed interviews for the over-60s. It also requires “work-related activity” from those receiving Employment and Support Allowance. The bill would abolish Income Support and move all people onto Jobseeker’s Allowance, if they are well, or Employment and Support Allowance, if they are sick.

Taken from BBC Online

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