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The Queen’s Speech to parliament 2003 |
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| 26th November 2003 |
 BBC
analysis |
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Guardian
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Independent
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My Lords and members of the House of Commons.
My government will maintain its key commitment to economic stability
and growth.
This will enable my government to continue to deliver reform of the
public services and continue to focus on greater opportunity and social
justice, enhanced security and protection and constitutional reform.
Delivering a world class education system that enables individuals
to achieve their full potential remains my government's main priority
for Britain's future success.
Educational reform will continue to raise standards in all schools.
A Bill will be introduced to enable more young people to benefit from
higher education.
Upfront tuition fees will be abolished for all full-time students
and a new Office for Fair Access will assist those from disadvantaged
backgrounds.
Universities will be placed on a sound financial footing.
My government will continue to reform the National Health Service
by giving more choice to patients, more freedom to NHS staff and more
control over hospitals to local communities.
My government will introduce a Bill that will provide all children
born from September 2002 with a Child Trust Fund with an initial endowment
from the government and more for poorer children - this will mean
that when children reach the age of 18 they have an asset to draw
on as a springboard for the future.
Legislation will also be introduced to encourage both employers to
provide good quality pensions and individuals to save more effectively
for their retirement.
A Pension Protection Fund will be set up to protect employees and
pensioners if companies become insolvent.
My government will maintain its commitment to increased equality and
social justice by bringing forward legislation on the registration
of civil partnerships between same sex couples.
A draft Bill will also be published responding to a review of the
law relating to disabilities as part of my government's programme
to extend the rights and opportunities of disabled people.
My government is committed to the maintenance of an effective asylum
and immigration system.
Legislation will therefore be brought forward to establish a single
tier of appeal against asylum decisions, to reduce the scope for delay
caused by groundless appeals, and to put in a place a range of other
measures to tackle abuse of the system and fraudulent claims.
My government will take forward work on an incremental approach to
a national identity cards scheme and will publish a draft Bill in
the New Year.
My government will continue to make the reduction of crime and the
fear of crime a priority.
The government will be implementing the Criminal Justice Act to ensure
the effective punishment of dangerous and persistent offenders.
Firm action will continue to be taken against anti-social behaviour
by strengthening the power available to schools and local authorities.
Measures will be introduced to modernise the laws on domestic violence
and to establish a commissioner to speak up for the interests of victims
and witnesses.
A Bill will be introduced to improve the services designed to protect
children.
A children's commissioner for England will be established.
A draft Bill will be brought forward on the Criminal Defence Service.
The threat of international terrorism and a changing climate have
led to a series of emergencies and heightened concerns for the future.
My government will introduce a Bill creating a long-term foundation
for civil contingencies capable of meeting these challenges at national
and local level.
A Bill will also be brought forward to improve the delivery of fire
and rescue services, ensuring that they can respond to the changing
demands placed on them in the modern world.
A Bill will also be introduced to regulate retention of human tissues
after death.
My government will continue its programme of constitutional reform
by establishing a Supreme Court, reforming the Judicial Appointments
System and providing for the abolition of the current office of Lord
Chancellor.
Legislation will be brought forward to reform the House of Lords.
This will remove hereditary peers and establish an independent appointments
commission to select non-party members of the Upper House.
A draft Bill will be published to enable a referendum to be held on
the adoption of the single currency subject to the government's five
economic tests being met.
My government will continue to take forward a Bill on election pilots
introduced during the last session.
My government is committed to improving the quality of people's day-to-day
lives.
Legislation will be introduced on housing that will help create a
fairer housing market and protect the most vulnerable.
My government will continue to take forward a Bill on planning introduced
during the last session, which will make the planning system fairer
and faster with greater community participation.
Legislation will also be brought forward to improve traffic flows
and manage road works more effectively.
A draft Bill will be published to enable some local authorities to
pilot new arrangements for school transport to reduce road congestion.
My government will also introduce legislation on energy matters, to
establish a Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and to promote secure,
sustainable supplies and a safer environment.
My government will maintain sound public finances and will continue
to take action to secure high levels of employment and encourage enterprise.
Legislation will be introduced to implement the conclusions of the
government's review of the Employment Relations Act 1999.
Legislation will also be introduced to modernise company accounting
and audit arrangements.
A thriving not-for-profit is part of the fabric of modern democratic
society.
My government will introduce a Bill to create community interest companies
which will enable social enterprises to meet the needs of their communities
in new and innovative ways.
A draft Bill on charities will also be published which will modernise
charity law and better enable charities to prosper.
Further draft clauses of a Bill on gambling will also be published.
My government will continue to take forward a programme of Regulatory
Reform Orders to simplify and reform burdensome and outdated legislation.
Members of the House of Commons, estimates for the public services
will be laid before you.
My lords and members of the House of Commons, my government will continue
to work closely with the devolved administrations in Scotland and
Wales.
Bills will be introduced to create a single public audit body for
Wales and to retain the current number of members in the Scottish
parliament.
In Northern Ireland, my government will continue to work closely with
the political parties and the Irish Government to secure the full
implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
Legislation will be brought forward to establish a Northern Ireland
Judicial Appointments Commission.
Other measures will be laid before you.
The Duke of Edinburgh and I look forward to paying a state visit to
Nigeria in December and attending the Commonwealth heads of government
meeting.
We look forward to receiving the state visit of his excellency the
president of Poland next May.
To mark the centenary of the Entente Cordiale, we look forward to
paying a state visit to France next April and to receiving his excellency
the president of France in the autumn.
My government will play an active role in preparing the European Union
for the accession of ten new member states next May.
They will work hard to conclude negotiations on a new constitutional
treaty for the European Union, following which they will introduce
legislation to implement the treaty.
My government will work for a strong partnership between Europe and
the United States, underpinned by NATO, and for effective action in
tackling the threat from global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
My government will maintain Britain's commitment to rebuilding Afghanistan
and Iraq, to promoting peace in the Middle East, and to tackling the
underlying causes of the conflict and extremism.
They will help war-torn countries, particularly in Africa, to seize
the opportunities for development which peace can bring.
My government will publish a defence White Paper providing a statement
of defence policy and an assessment of the new strategic environment
in which the Armed Forces operate.
A Bill will be introduced to give enabling powers to bring in new
pension and compensation arrangements for the armed forces.
My government will work to reduce world poverty and for the achievement
of the Millennium development goals including increased aid flows
and effective debt relief for developing countries committed to reform.
My government will press for a fairer trade system as part of the
current round of world trade negotiations.
They will work to strengthen the United Nations in response to key
global challenges such as Aids and climate change.
My lords and members of the House of Commons, I pray that the blessing
of almighty god may rest upon your counsels.
House adjourned during pleasure.
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