Leaving aside the question as to whether the present Government will achieve all or any of its legislative proposals other than, perhaps, the Financial Services Bill, our view of what is likely to affect business in the Queen’s Speech is as follows.

The Financial Services Bill itself will give the FSA some powers to take action on pay of people within the financial services sector, principally bankers.  It will however, allow groups of consumers to bring court actions against financial institutions, but it remains to be seen whether “consumers” will include businesses. 

Although we are sure none of our clients would contemplate such an action, the Bribery Bill will make it illegal to bribe a foreign official to obtain or retain business, and it is also an offence on the part of an employer if he/she/it to prevent a bribe being paid by any of its employees, or by any other firm or agency on its behalf. 

If you operate a wheel clamping business, the Crime and Security Bill will require you to be licensed to do that, whilst if you are in the arms business the Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill will make it illegal for you to produce, develop, stock pile, transfer or use (!) cluster munitions. 

If you are in the care provision business, the Personal Care at Home Bill might enhance your profits in that it will guarantee free personal care for people with what are described “highest needs” but if at the other end of the spectrum you produce video games the Digital Economy Bill will say that you have to put an age rating on games designed for children aged 12 and above.  This Bill is apparently, however, to contain provisions to tackle copyright infringement more effectively – will we see the end of pirated games?

Finally, the Equality Bill whilst banning age discrimination outside the workplace (so that you cannot discriminate when selling services such as healthcare) if you employee more than 250 people you will have to report on gender differences in pay to some quango or other.  This Bill will also strengthen the powers of employment tribunals. 

A number of Bills in the Government’s draft programme, outlined some months ago, have not made it to the Queen’s Speech.  The only one which the writer can see would have helped businesses was the proposed Housing Bill, which was to set a target of 110,000 new homes in England and Wales over the next two years, which would obviously have benefitted our developer and building trade clients.

We will of course report on bills and legislation if and when they come to the fore.