Law and order at the heart of Johnson’s vision
Legislative programme outlined by the Queen covers law and order as well as Brexit issues
A crackdown on law and order was at the heart of Boris Johnson legislative programme in the Queen’s Speech.
Seven new Bills, covering everything from soft sentencing and violent crime to knife crime and foreign criminals, dominated a list of 26 draft pieces of legislation set out yesterday.
Aside from crime, the Government also unveiled six new Bills aimed at delivering Brexit, covering fisheries, agriculture and trade.
No10 insisted that ministers will introduce the Bills even if MPS vote down the legislative programme in its entirety when they vote on the Queen’s Speech early next week. Violent crime and the criminal justice system Judges will be required by law to tell victims when jailed offenders will be released so they are no longer in the dark over the true length of jail terms.
A Sentencing Bill will also require serious violent and sex offenders to serve longer sentences, make life automatic for killers of pre-school-age children and toughen community orders, including “sobriety” tags for offenders who drink. Child abusers and murderers face longer sentences if they fail to identify victims or help police locate their bodies. Under the Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Bill, the Parole Board will be required to consider the failure of an offender to disclose specific information when deciding parole.
It is targeted at sex offenders like Vanessa George, who refused to identify children in child abuse photos she shared with other paedophiles.
A police covenant will be enshrined in law to ensure effective measures to protect police from assaults and secure their health and well-being, with annual reviews by Parliament.
Public bodies including schools, hospitals, councils and social services will have a new legal duty to “work collaboratively, share data and information” to combat serious violence and knife crime.
Foreign criminals who sneak back into the UK will face longer sentences. Police will have powers to arrest a foreign criminal wanted for serious offences in a “trusted” country outside the UK without having to apply for a warrant, under a new Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill. It will put a person wanted for a serious crime overseas on the same footing as someone who committed it in the UK.
Abusive partners will be brought to book under a Domestic Abuse law, to include a legal definition of the crime covering economic, emotional and coercive control. The law will give victims of abuse special measures in the courts, such as giving evidence through video, and will establish a Domestic Abuse Commissioner.
Asbo-style Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders will offer more protection for victims and place restrictions on the actions of offenders.
Restaurateurs will have to “pass on tips, gratuities and service charges to workers without deductions” in full, in an Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill.
High-profile restaurants chains have been embarrassed in recent years after it emerged that they were docking tips paid to staff by customers.
Delivering Brexit
A European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill will set out the terms of Britain’s exit from the EU. It forms the legal requirement to allow for Brexit on Oct 31 and will “implement any Withdrawal Agreement which may be agreed between the UK and the EU in domestic law”.
The Agriculture Bill will reward farmers for delivering improved water quality and better public access to the countryside, while a Fisheries Bill will give fishermen powers to “protect the marine environment”.
A Trade Bill will launch a new independent UK body to protect firms as they pursue trade agreements, while a Financial Services Bill will safeguard the City of London after Brexit.
An Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill will introduce an Australian-style points system for migrants, who will be rated on their education, salary level, skills, age and willingness to work away from London in less prosperous areas.
Supporting the NHS
An independent body will be set up to conduct investigations into NHS mistakes, avoiding the need for an expensive public inquiry under a Health Service Safety Investigations Bill. The Bill will allow the NHS to learn from incidents and prevent them in the future, the Government says.
A Medicines and Medical Devices Bill will make it easier to introduce new medicines, and for hospitals to make them, in the hope that low-risk medicines are made available faster.
Infrastructure, Education and Science
Police will get more powers to tackle the use of drones near airports, after the number of incidents rose from six in 2014 to 125 last year. An Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill will allow the Government to make airports change their airspace design to tackle flight congestion.
MPS will also debate a new law to
‘Schools, hospitals, councils and social services will have a legal duty to work collaboratively, share data and information to combat knife crime’
extend the controversial HS2 railway, despite the fact it is being reviewed by Boris Johnson’s new Government.
The High Speed Rail 2 (West Midlands-crewe) Bill lays the groundwork for a High Speed Rail 2 connection between Lichfield in Staffs to Crewe in Cheshire.
Non legislative measures
A Bill to improve internet safety will be published by next Easter to make web browsing safer for children, following a Telegraph campaign.
Voters will have to produce photo ID at polling stations to tackle electoral fraud. The plans, not yet set out in a Bill, ensure only those with a vote can cast their ballot. Currently voters only need to state their names and addresses to be allowed to vote.
The Government has stopped short of an immediate ban on bringing “trophy hunt” animal carcasses in and out of Britain but will consult on a ban.
New homes will also get automatic fast internet speeds, while ministers promised new measures to reform social care for the elderly, but without giving any further detail.
They are also planning to strengthen powers to block or intervene in the foreign purchase of any company that could affect national security.
Currently the British state can intervene in the foreign takeover of any company that plays a role in national security.
This power will be widened to allow ministers to intervene in deals of any size in any sector that is thought could pose a risk to national security.