Cameron and Clegg unveil coalition's 'bold' finalé
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:56 pm
David Cameron and Nick Clegg have sought to present a united front as they set out their plans for the coalition's final year in power.
Pensions took centre stage in an 11 bill programme, with changes to annuities and workplace schemes.
Voters will also get limited powers to boot out misbehaving MPs and fracking firms will get new drilling rights.
Labour sources said it was "staggering" that the NHS and immigration were not mentioned in the Queen's Speech.
Among the measures announced were:
- A bill implementing reforms to annuities allowing people to draw their retirement income in one go if they choose
- A separate bill to allow employees to pay into collective pension funds shared with other workers
- A new state-funded childcare subsidy worth up to £2,000 a year, replacing the existing employer-funded scheme
- A bill offering extra legal protection for people being sued for negligence if they acted heroically or in the public interest
- Curbs on "excessive redundancy payments" for highly-paid public servants
- Tougher penalties for employers who fail to pay the minimum wage and a crackdown on the abuse of zero hours contracts
- Plans for a 5p charge for plastic bags in England
- A bill allowing fracking firms to run shale gas pipelines deep under private land without getting prior permission
- Tougher powers to seize the assets of crime bosses ands tackle cyber crime and make possession of written paedophilia a criminal offence
- A Modern Slavery Bill with tougher penalties for human trafficking
- Help for pub landlords including a statutory code and a body to adjudicate disputes
- Giving voters the power to trigger by-elections where MPs have committed serious wrong-doing
