Prime Minister promises "Government at the service of ordinary working people"

The Prime Minister today commits to work with ‘humility and resolve’ in the national interest to make our country stronger, fairer, safer and more united.

The Government will lay out the legislative programme for the two-year session, with new laws to make a success of our departure from the European Union and allow us to build a country that works for everyone.

This will include Bills to protect consumers by reducing motor insurance premiums and tackling widespread abuses across the claims management sector, a draft Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill, in line with the manifesto commitment to tackle the evil of domestic abuse and violence, and a draft Tenants’ Fees Bill, which sits alongside action to fix the dysfunctional housing market and ensure it meets the needs of more ordinary working people.

Marking the Queen’s Speech, the Prime Minister said:

‘This Queen’s Speech is about recognising and grasping the opportunities that lie ahead for the United Kingdom as we leave the European Union. It is about delivering a Brexit deal that works for all parts of the UK while building a stronger, fairer country by strengthening our economy, tackling injustice and promoting opportunity and aspiration.

‘The election result was not the one I hoped for, but this Government will respond with humility and resolve to the message the electorate sent. We will work hard every day to gain the trust and confidence of the British people, making their priorities our priorities

‘First, we need to get Brexit right. That means getting a deal which delivers the result of last year’s referendum and does so in a way that commands maximum public support.

‘Much has been said in recent days about what the General Election signified about Britain’s decision to leave the EU. The fact is that over 80 per cent of the electorate backed the two major parties, both of whom campaigned on manifestos that said we should honour the democratic decision of the British people. While this will be a Government that consults and listens, we are clear that we are going to see Brexit through, working with Parliament, business, the devolved administrations and others to ensure a smooth and orderly withdrawal.

‘This will therefore be a busy legislative session with a number of Bills geared towards making a success of Brexit.

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‘The referendum vote last year was not just a vote to leave the EU though - it was a profound and justified expression that our country often does not work the way it should for millions of ordinary working families.

‘That is why this legislative session will also contain a number of measures to build a stronger economy so we can improve people’s living standards and fund public services like our NHS and schools on which we all depend. The National Living Wage will be increased so that people who are on the lowest pay see their wages go up as the economy strengthens. We will continue to bring down the deficit so that young people don’t spend most of their working lives paying for our failure to live within our means. Work on our modern Industrial Strategy will continue to ensure all parts of the country share in economic success.

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‘At the same time, much work needs to be done to build a fairer society where people can go as far as their talents will take them and no one is held back because of their background.

‘So this is a Government with purpose. Determined to deliver the best Brexit deal. Intent on building a stronger economy and a fairer society. Committed to keeping our country safe, enhancing our standing in the wider world and bringing our United Kingdom closer together. Putting ourselves at the service of millions of ordinary working people for whom we will work every day in the national interest.’

ENDS

Notes

Civil Liability Bill

• The volume of road traffic accident related personal injury claims is around fifty per cent higher than 10 years ago (520,000 claims registered in 2006/07compared with 780,000 in 2016/17) despite huge advances in vehicle safety.

• This Bill will tackle the continuing high number and cost of whiplash while ensuring that full and fair compensation is paid to genuinely injured claimants.
• It will address the rampant compensation culture and reduce the number and cost of whiplash claims by banning offers to settle claims without the support of medical evidence and introducing a new fixed tariff of compensation for whiplash injuries with a duration of up to 2 years.

• Motorists could see average savings of around £35 per year passed on through reduced insurance premiums.

Financial Guidance & Claims Bill

• This Bill will help consumers by establishing a new arm’s-length Single Financial Guidance Body that will replace three existing providers of publicly funded financial guidance. This measure aims to improve the UK’s financial capability by providing a more joined-up service to help people make effective financial decisions.
• The Bill will also strengthen the regulation of Claims Management Companies by transferring the regulatory responsibility to the Financial Conduct Authority, and ensuring the FCA has the necessary powers to implement a robust regulatory regime, including a duty to cap fees. This will help tackle widespread malpractice across the Claims Management Companies sector, such as nuisance calls and encouragement of fraudulent claims.
• 76 per cent of the public do not believe that Claims Management Companies tell the truth to their customers, and 23 per cent of Claims Management Companies faced regulatory intervention in 2014/15.

Draft Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill

• The 2015/16 Crime Survey for England and Wales indicates 7.7% of women and 4.4% of men reported having experienced any type of domestic abuse in the last year. Although this is the lowest level since the survey began, this is an evil crime that must be stamped out.
• This legislation will help protect victims of domestic violence and abuse and give the justice system greater guidance and clarity about the devastating impact of domestic violence and abuse on families.

• It will do this by establishing a Domestic Violence and Abuse Commissioner, to stand up for victims and survivors, raise public awareness, monitor the response of statutory agencies and local authorities and hold the justice system to account in tackling domestic abuse. It will also define domestic abuse to underpin all other measures in the Bill; create a consolidated new domestic abuse civil prevention and protection order regime; and ensure that if abusive behaviour involves a child, then the court can hand down a sentence that reflects the devastating life-long impact that abuse can have on the child.

Draft Tenant’s Fees Bill

• The English Housing Survey 2014-15 found that the average letting fees charged per tenancy is £223 (median £200) and that median fees charged by agents increased by 60% between 2009-10 and 2014-15 (14% increase in mean). Shelter found that 1 in 7 tenants pay more than £500.Citizens’ Advice Bureau found that 64% of tenants experienced problems paying letting agents’ fees and 42% had to borrow money.
• This Bill will ban landlords from charging tenants “letting fees”, to improve transparency, affordability and competition in the private rental market. It will also include measures to enforce the ban with provision for tenants to be able to recover unlawfully charged fees.

• An eight-week consultation on banning letting fees paid by tenants closed on 2 June. Responses are being analysed.