[an error occurred while processing this directive]
BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
Last Updated: Wednesday, 15 November 2006, 14:51 GMT
Queen's Speech at-a-glance
Here is an at-a-glance list of the 25 bills and four draft bills outlined in the 2006 Queen's Speech:

FULL BILLS

Border and Immigration Bill

Increases powers of immigration officers - including cash seizures - and capacity to take biometric details of foreign nationals. Covers the whole of the UK.

Child Support Bill

Replaces the Child Support Agency with a new body. Covers the whole UK.

Climate Change Bill

Sets out measures to cut emissions of carbon dioxide by 60% by 2050. Also establishes an independent Carbon Committee to oversee this.

Concessionary Bus Travel Bill

Gives free off-peak travel for over-60s and disabled people on local bus services in England.

Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill

Sees the National Consumer Council, Energywatch, Postwatch and the National Consumer Council will be joined. Estate agents will have to keep records, for inspection by the Office of Fair Trading. They will also have to join a redress scheme. Applies to the whole UK, with certain exceptions.

Corporate Manslaughter Bill

Would create a specific offence of corporate manslaughter, which would make it easier for prosecutions of companies. Carried over from the last session, and has been in the pipeline for years. Applies to the whole UK.

Criminal Justice Bill

Creates an offence of possessing violent pornography and creates new powers to tackle anti-social and violent behaviour. Primarily covers England and Wales.

Crossrail Bill

Gives necessary powers to build Crossrail, a railway stretching east to west across London. Carried over from the previous parliamentary session.

Digital Switchover Bill

To ensure elderly and disabled viewers can make the switchover from analogue to digital television.

Exchanges and Clearing Houses Bill

Enables the Financial Services Authority to veto regulatory changes made by UK-recognised investment exchanges and clearing houses. Covers all the UK.

Fraud Bill

Enables trials to be held without a jury in "serious" fraud cases, where this is agreed by a High Court judge. Applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Further Education and Training Bill

Proposes streamlining the Learning and Skills Council and giving it more powers to intervene where colleges and principals are unsatisfactory. The bill applies mainly to England, with measure-making powers for the Welsh Assembly.

Greater London Authority Bill

Extends the powers of the London mayor and assembly, allowing them more control over housing, planning, waste, health, climate change, energy and culture.

Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill

Reforms jury trials and extends the powers of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Legal Services Bill

Increases independent regulation of the legal profession in England and Wales.

Local Government Bill

Devolves the making of by-laws to councils and gives them powers to enforce these through fixed-penalty notices. Creates a single inspectorate for local government. The bill is likely to cover England only but its exact extent is unclear.

Mental Health Bill

Introduces supervised treatment in the community for some patients discharged from hospital and a simpler definition of the term "mental disorder". The proposals also include plans to allow people with untreatable personality disorders to be detained in a bid to close a supposed loophole - currently people can be sectioned only if their condition is treatable. Extends to England and Wales.

Northern Ireland Bill

Provides for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and devolved institutions.

Offender Management Bill

Allows the home secretary to use private firms to deal with tackling re-offenders and strengthens the offence of bringing articles into prisons. Most of the bill applies to England, Wales and Northern Wales, with some provisions applying in Scotland.

Organised Crime Bill

Strengthens powers to recover criminal assets and introduces a new offence of assisting a criminal act believing that an offence may be committed. The bill extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with some provisions applying to Scotland.

Pensions Bill

Raises the state pension age from 65 to 68 by 2046 and restores the link between the state pension and average earnings. Reduces the number of years it takes to build a full basic state pension to 30. Creates a delivery authority for pensions. Covers the entire UK.

Planning Reform Bill

Detailed proposals are promised for next year.

Statistical Reform Bill

Creates an independent board to ensure the quality and comprehensiveness of official statistics across the UK.

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill

Allows a broader range of people to apply for judicial office and increases regulations to be followed by bailiffs. Extends to England and Wales.

Welfare Reform Bill

Creates a new benefit, the Employment and Support Allowance, which replaces existing Incapacity Benefit and asks more questions of people who claim benefit. First proposed in last session.

DRAFT BILLS

Local Better Regulation Office Bill

Sets up a body to help businesses deal with trading standards and environmental health regulations.

Protection of Cultural Property During Armed Conflict Bill

Makes it illegal to trade in property illicitly removed from occupied territory.

Road Transport Bill

Increases the powers to create toll roads and gives councils more freedom to introduce their own schemes. Gives councils more powers to improve local bus services.

Tissues and Embryo Authority Bill

Creates a single regulatory body for fertilisation and embryology research and human tissue research. Does not reverse the removal of donor anonymity.

IN THE PIPELINE

No anti-terror bill was mentioned during the Queen's Speech but the government has promised to legislate after Home Secretary John Reid concludes his review of the current laws.

The Marine Bill, promised in Labour's 2005 manifesto, was not in the speech, but there are reports that there will be a White Paper next year.




QUEEN'S SPEECH 2006

KEY COVERAGE

ISSUE-BY-ISSUE COVERAGE
 

ANALYSIS AND FEATURES
Boxing gloves Gloves are off
Tony Blair denies using politics of fear... then warns Cameron he faces a thumping

BACKGROUND
Pomp and pageantry

HAVE YOUR SAY

WATCH/LISTEN


RELATED INTERNET LINKS
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS
Has China's housing bubble burst?
How the world's oldest clove tree defied an empire
Why Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin quit

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific