Oliver Wright takes a look at the biggest changes to be expected in Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech – and assesses how controversial they will be
The Queen will open the new session of parliament on Wednesday AFP/Getty
David Cameron is expected to announce a whole set of new laws in the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday. Here’s what we can expect to see:
Bill of rights
There will be consultation on a new British bill of rights, which would replace the Human Rights Act. This would assert the supremacy of the UK courts – but would still incorporate the European Convention of Human Rights to which Britain is a signatory. We would also still accept the court in Strasburg as the ultimate arbiter of UK human rights.
Controversy rating 5/5
Adoption and care
A radical overhaul of the care system to double the number of children placed in adoptive families will be the centrepiece of the Queen’s Speech. There will also be a new “covenant” giving children in care new rights until they are 25. This will include specialist help to find housing and employment, plus each person who leaves care will also be assigned a named mentor. There will also be a new social care watchdog created to monitor the performance of local authorities.
Education
A bill to make more schools into academies will be brought forward – but after a backbench rebellion this will be much less radical than planned. Schools that are performing well will not be under any obligation to become an academy while there will be guarantees to ensure that small rural schools are not forced to close.
In higher education there are plans to open up the sector to competition – with new non-profit and commercial operators being encouraged to set up institutions with a short cut to full university status. This the Government hopes will eventually bring down tuition fees.
Controversy rating 3/5
Prison reform
A bill setting out the legal framework to give prison governors a greater degree of autonomy over budgets and how they run their prisons. There will also be powers for “reform prisons” to take over failing jails on the same model as school academy chains.
Controversy rating 2/5
Technology
New laws to allow driverless cars to be insured under ordinary policies as part of a transport bill that will also include sections on space travel and regulating drones.
Lords reform
Changes to the powers of the House of Lords to stop peers being able to veto so-called statutory instruments that are often used to bring in new laws “by the backdoor”. This is likely to get a very rough ride when it is debated in the Lords and will almost certainly have to be watered down if it has any chance of getting on the statute book.
Controversy rating 5/5
