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Queen's Speech at a glance

Daniel Bentley,Pa
Tuesday 06 November 2007 07:29 EST
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Gordon Brown set out his legislative agenda for the year ahead in his first Queen's Speech today. Here is an at-a-glance guide to the main points:

* A Bill to require youngsters to remain in education or training until the age of 18.

* Legislation to set up a new Homes and Communities Agency charged with delivering more affordable and social housing.

* A Bill to streamline the planning system, providing speedier and more transparent decisions, especially for major infrastructure projects.

* Legislation to create a new healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission, with powers to fine hospitals failing to meet hygiene standards.

* Legislation to allow unclaimed money in dormant accounts to be spent on community facilities.

* A Bill to require employers to contribute to staff pensions and automatically enrol workers into schemes.

* A Bill to introduce a legally binding framework to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% to 2050, with "real progress" by 2020.

* A Bill giving local areas the freedom to develop road-pricing schemes.

* A Bill to "strengthen" terrorist prosecutions, including the introduction of post-charge questioning and a ban on overseas travel for convicted terrorists.

* A Bill to reduce regulatory burdens on business with the creation of a Local Better Regulation Office.

* A Bill to introduce constitutional reform in areas like the Royal Prerogative.

* Proposals to reform party funding and expenditure and restore public confidence in the system.

* Legislation to protect depositors and ensure confidence in the banking system.

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