The House of Lords is due to debate the Queen’s Speech over four days between 19 and 25 May 2016. This briefing is one of four prepared by the House of Lords Library to cover the themes of each day of debate.
Queen's Speech 2016 Day 2 (280 KB , PDF)
Specific legislative proposals relating to foreign policy, international development and defence have not been foreshadowed in the run-up to the Queen’s Speech. In April 2016, the Government announced it no longer intended to enshrine in law the necessity of consulting Parliament on military action, legislation previously proposed by the Coalition Government in 2011.
This briefing gives an overview of the Government’s priorities for foreign affairs, international development and defence as set out in strategy documents such as the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review and the UK Aid Strategy, both published in November 2015. It gives details of selected further reading (Library briefings and parliamentary committee reports from both Houses) on more specific areas of foreign, defence and development policy, including on the forthcoming EU referendum, scheduled to take place on 23 June. It also gives brief details of forthcoming defence issues, including a promised debate on the Government’s plans for a new generation of nuclear submarines; a decision on women serving in ground close combat roles; and possible proposals to address the issue of “opportunist” litigation being brought against the armed forces.
This briefing has been prepared in advance of the Queen’s Speech based on Government commitments and speculative reports about what legislative proposals may be included; it does not constitute official information about the Government’s intentions or provide a complete list of bills to be announced.
Available separately are further briefings for each day’s debate on the Queen’s Speech. For further reading or more detailed information, Members are encouraged to contact the Library’s Research Desk.
Queen's Speech 2016 Day 2 (280 KB , PDF)
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The government introduced the Finance Bill in the House of Lords on 4 March 2025. The House is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading and all remaining stages on 19 March 2025.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
