The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Queen’s Speech is symbolic, practical and purposeful
The Queen’s Speech is one of those big, set piece occasions that our country does so well. Yet the State Opening of Parliament serves a purpose, both symbolic and practical.
The symbolism sees the Commons slam its doors in the face of Black Rod to show the supremacy of the elected chamber. It’s practical purpose is to set out the legislative programme of the government for the next session of Parliament.
It was moving to see the unworn crown representing the Queen, while the Prince of Wales sat to one side, reading the speech on her behalf.
The speech itself had plenty of content. Sentences like ,“Her Majesty’ s government will introduce legislation to improve the regulation of social housing to strengthenthe rights of tenants and ensure better quality, safer homes,” have multi-page notes to back them up.
In this case, a Social Housing
RegulationBillwillgivetheregulatorthepowertoinspectlandlords with only 48 hours’ notice. It will give housing association tenants the right to information. It will grant new powers for emergency repairs, and so on.
Over30billswillcomeforward during this next session. One of these bills will give you more say over local development. Another will modernise rail services and improvereliabilityforpassengers.
Local businesses will find it easier to bid for government contracts through the Procurement Bill, one of many using freedoms we gained from Brexit. The Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill speaks for itself.
An important cluster of bills are about security and crime, including crime online.
I suspect that the Public Order Bill will see a rerun of the nonsense objections to making unlawful encampments illegal.
Likewise, anyone affected by the eco-hijacking of our roads and infrastructure knows that it goes beyond the limits of responsible protest. The Public Order Bill will give the police the power they need to protect ordinary, law-abidingpeopletryingtogetto work or go about their lives.
However, if I had to single out one thing this week that will help people in Peterborough, it wasn’t in the Queen’s Speech at all. It’s a campaignbyGuyOpperman,who is the pensions minister.
Guywantstoensurethatevery pensioner who qualifies is claiming their Pension Credit. Already, over 3,000 people in my constituencydoclaim–onaverage,around £3,300ayear.Butlotsofothersare missing out!