The Queen has unveiled details of the first Conservative-only legislative programme in nearly 20 years, as she delivered her traditional speech heralding the start of a new parliamentary session.
More than 20 new bills were announced at the state opening of parliament, including four focused on devolving powers away from Whitehall. The Conservative plan to replace the Human Rights Act with a new "British Bill of Rights" received a mention, but was not announced as a bill. Ministers would, the Queen said, instead "bring forward proposals" for the new bill.
The EU Referendum Bill was also unveiled, but the wording of the question for the vote on whether Britain should remain a member of the European Union has yet to be confirmed.
As part of a wide-ranging package of devolutionary measures, the newly-announced Scotland Bill will aim to honour the commitments made after the referendum on Scottish independence to hand more powers to Holyrood, including granting the Scottish government the means to set income tax rates. Wales and Northern Ireland are also set to get more powers, while the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill will grant greater responsibility to cities who agree to bring in elected mayors.
Meanwhile, plans to ensure decisions on laws solely affecting England can only be made with the consent of English MPs – so-called "English votes for English laws" – will be delivered through standing orders and not primary legislation.
"My government will bring forward changes to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons," the Queen said.
"These changes will create fairer procedures to ensure that decisions affecting England or England and Wales, can be taken only with the consent of the majority of members of parliament representing constituencies in those parts of the United Kingdom."
On home affairs, a new Investigatory Powers Bill will revive plans for the so-called "Snooper's Charter" from the last parliament. Home secretary Theresa May's call to broaden the power of intelligence agencies to collect communications data was blocked by the Liberal Democrats during the coalition's time in office, but the Conservative election win means the intelligence services are now more likely to get the tools they say they need. An Extremism Bill will also bring in new "extremism disruption orders" and broaden the remit of broadcast regulator Ofcom to allow it to shut down channels broadcasting extremist content.
A Full Employment and Welfare Benefits Bill will see most working-age benefits frozen, with the benefit cap – which places a limit on the total amount individuals can claim per year in benefits – reduced from £26,000 to £23,000.
Tax rates, VAT and National Insurance will be frozen for the next five years through a new National Insurance Contributions/Finance Bill, leaving the government's deficit reduction strategy more dependent on departmental spending cuts and welfare savings. The bill also includes a duty to report annually on the progress of the Troubled Families programme, a cross-departmental initiative designed to help families with entrenched social problems.
The Queen's Speech also confirmed business secretary Sajid Javid's plan to widen the scope of the so-called "Red Tape Challenge" beyond Whitehall departments to include independent regulators, as part of a drive to eliminate £10bn-worth of regulation deemed unnecessary. A Trade Unions Bill is meanwhile expected to deliver the Conservative manifesto promise to curb the right of workers in "essential public services" to take industrial action if fewer than 40% of eligible unions members back such a move. Under the plans, ballots will also require a turnout of at least 50% for their result to be deemed legal.
The Queen's speech said the bill would aim to "reform trade unions and to protect essential public services against strikes", but the proposals were immediately rounded on by the Public and Commercial Services Union, who branded them an "ideological attack on working people fighting to defend their jobs and services".
Peter Riddell, director of the Institute for Government, said the Queen's speech included a number of "very ambitious policy commitments", but warned such ambition would need proper follow-through from ministers and questioned the wisdom of the bill to freeze taxes.
"The four proposed devolution bills present large constitutional challenges, not only in the nations and regions affected but also for the government of the UK as a whole," Riddell said. "There is not going to be one solution for the whole of the UK, but the changes need to be coherent and consistent. The Institute for Government has stressed the need to strengthen relations between the various governments of the UK.
"The Institute has always been critical of declaratory legislation, creating virtue by statute, and is therefore highly sceptical of the need for a new law to ensure that there are no ensure there are no increase in income tax rates, value-added tax or national insurance for the next five years.
"To achieve the improvements and savings it wants, the government must focus on better delivery, building a strong evidence base, while improving its management information and financial data as necessary, producing robust policy before writing legislation, and consulting with frontline service users and providers."
You can view the full Gov.UK Queens Speech briefing document below: