Queen's speech to focus on policing, anti-terrorism and immigration

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2006

LONDON (AFP) — Policing, immigration and anti-terrorism are reportedly to be the main themes of the Queen's Speech, the yearly opening of parliament by Queen Elizabeth II in which she reads a list of proposed legislation by her government. Another major focus of the speech is likely to be climate change, after the publication of a British finance ministry-commissioned report by former World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern which said that inaction on global warming could cost the world's economies up to a fifth of their gross domestic product.

The speech, which will be Tony Blair's last as prime minister, will include about 25 proposed bills according to the Financial Times, with the focus on security leading to four bills from the interior ministry alone. Likely to be...