Blair steams ahead with 40 new Bills

A mammoth Queen's Speech containing 40 controversial Bills was agreed by the Cabinet today as Tony Blair set out to prove his leadership has not run out of steam.

The 18-month programme of new legislation is being seen by ministers as a "virility test" of Labour's reduced Commons majority of 67.

Downing Street strategists believe the plans, topped by ID cards and a new clampdown on costly red tape, will herald a series of set-piece confrontations with Left-wingers hostile to Mr Blair's leadership.

The aim is to demonstrate that the Prime Minister's authority is intact by defeating those who are agitating for an early transfer of power to Gordon Brown. The full list, which was being set out at the first Cabinet meeting since the general election, will be unveiled in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday. It is set to include:

  • A new regulatory reform Bill to pare back the £100billion cost to business of Whitehallgenerated red tape. For the first time, targets will be set for abolishing unnecessary rules, while government departments will have to justify new ones to a new official watchdog.
  • Speeding up the roll-out of 200 city academies across the country, boosting what Leftwing critics allege is causing a two-tier education system.
  • A curb on spiralling incapacity-benefit costs. Weekly payouts - dubbed "bad back benefit" - will be subject to stiffer tests while claimants will be able to try out jobs without losing entitlement completely.
  • New measures to get to grips with asylum and immigration, a high-profile election issue - a points system for migrant workers and a clampdown on people-traffickers.
  • A Violent Crime Reduction Bill to restrict the sale of replica guns and raise the age limit for buying knives to 18.
  • A Work and Families Bill extending maternity leave pay and piloting schemes for lowincome families not yet on the property ladder to buy a share in homes rather than purchasing outright.
  • An Education and Skills Bill to let thriving schools take over less successful ones.
  • A Health Improvement and Protection Bill to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces and combat the MRSA superbug.

As revealed by the Standard this week, No10 sees the ID Cards Bill - requiring adults to have a photocard with biometric data - as the first big test of government authority.

Before the election some 19 MPs rebelled against the idea but more have privately voiced misgivings over civil liberties.

A senior government source said: "We are ready for a fight to defend manifesto promises."

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