Last week in the Queen’s Speech the Government set out its agenda for legislation to go through Parliament over the next year.
The Government’s priorities over the coming year remain to stay on the side of hard working families, to boost economic growth and get the country’s finances back on track, to tighten the immigration system and to reform the pensions and social care systems providing more support for our older citizens who have given so much for our country.
Getting our economy moving again is a key priority and one I am sure that we all fully support. That is why I welcome the National Insurance Contributions Bill which will stimulate businesses to provide more jobs through a new £2,000 Employment Allowance from next April. Almost half a million small businesses will be able to create new jobs because of this measure.
The Immigration Bill is also important as it will ensure that our National Health Service once more becomes just that and is not abused as an International one. It is only right that free access to non-emergency health care is restricted for those who have just entered the country and those that are here illegally and is only available to those who are entitled to it. This Bill will also ensure the deportation of dangerous foreign criminals and appeals will only be allowed after they have been deported – a long overdue move and a right one.
I was also delighted that the Government re-asserted its support for pensioners and our older citizens through the Pensions Bill and the new Care Bill.
The new-flat rate pension starts in April 2016 and will especially benefit women who took time out to care for children. They will, for the first time, quite rightly now get a full state pension.
The Care Bill will introduce a first ever cap on care costs and will extend the means test threshold for financial assistance meaning that in future no one will be forced to sell their home in their lifetime to pay for their residential care.
These measures are all welcomed ones which will help citizens of all ages. It is clear that the Government is committed to helping create jobs, tackling immigration to make the system fair, reforming pensions by helping carers as well as those who need care and through the new Energy Bill it will force energy companies to provide clear and simple information on bills which will help with the cost of living.
All the key issues facing our country today are being addressed as the Government continues to work to get the country’s finances back on a stable footing whilst also making the essential changes necessary to help people with the cost of living.