Her Majesty's most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament : delivered on Tuesday, 17th May 2005

The Queen's Speech outlines the Government's legislative programme for the 2005-06 session of Parliament, including the introduction of legislation to establish an identity cards scheme; reforming incapacity benefit; restricting smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces; giving police and local communities new powers to tackle knives, guns and alcohol-related violence; reducing re-offending by improving the management of offenders; reforming the criminal defence service in order to improve use of legal aid resources; to safeguard the welfare of children in circumstances of parental separation and to improve inter-country adoption processes; to modernise charity law; to combat discrimination and establish the Commission for Equality and Human Rights; to tackle incitement to religious hatred; to take forward proposals to introduce an offence of corporate manslaughter; and to extend maternity benefits and improve child care provision.