The Queen's Speech has faced some criticism today for not having enough proposed legislation. The argument goes that there should have been more Bills to combat 'this problem' or 'that problem'.
This is a false argument for a number of reasons:
First; it implies the more a Government legislates, the better things will be. This is demonstrably not the case. Often Governments are quick to pass laws which have no effect, or an ill-effect, or the effect of unintended consequences.
Second; The Coalition has spent the last two years passing major legislation on the NHS, Welfare, Education and Employment. The new Work Programme and Youth Contract for example provides the jobless and young unemployed with both training and job~hunting. The companies doing this task, only get paid when the individuals get work and stay in work for a substantial period of time. But, one of the best ways of cutting unemployment will be through lower taxes for businesses: the more money they don't have to pass on to the Inland Revenue, the more money they have to hire new employees.
What really stands out in this Queen's Speech is help for families: making adoption easier, assistance for parents for children with special needs, better parental leave in work for new children and equal access for both parents following divorce or separation.
But the Coalition will succeed if it has a relentless focus on doing less better rather than relentless new legislation for its own sake. Much better to concentrate on implementation on what has been passed already. That is why this Queen's Speech will be a success.
P.S. There are other good legislative proposals announced today which I will expand on in later Blogs.
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