It has been announced that the Queen’s speech for 2013, to be delivered next Wednesday (May 8th), will contain legislation on pensions, social care and benefits, as well as information on reforms aimed at boosting the economy.
The speech will outline the Government’s legislative programme for the 2013/14 Parliamentary session and is also likely to contain information on measures that might be subject to Bills and draft legislation in the next session.
On the day, the Queen will open Parliament in a traditional ceremony where she reads out the Government’s proposed legislation. This event always used to be held in November but was moved to May by the coalition government.
In relation to local government, there will be legislation on social care, anti-social behaviour, consumer rights, local audit arrangements and the rules on local authority publicity.
Also, Government sources have revealed that the Prime Minister has overruled his own public health minister’s plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging, as he wants to wait until there is more evidence that this leads to a decrease in smoking from Australia, where the measure was introduced six months ago.
Meanwhile, the Queen will announce the introduction of a cap on social care funding following recommendations to do so by the commission headed by Andrew Dilnot.
In addition, the Department of Work and Pensions will introduce a single-tier weekly pension of £144, which will replace the current basic pension of £107 per week plus various means-tested top-ups. This will start in 2016.
A crime bill simplifying police powers and giving them new powers of dispersal will also be announced, along with the redrafting of the laws on dangerous dogs and reforms of family justice. There will also be new means of auditing local authorities plus reforms of the special education needs system.