(BBC News) THE government is expected to announce tougher rules on immigration when it outlines its programme for the next year on Wednesday.
The Queen’s Speech will include a parliamentary bill aimed at making it easier to deport foreign criminals and those who enter the UK illegally.
Other bills will cap social care costs in England and introduce a single state pension of £144 a week.
But a plan to monitor online and mobile communications is likely to be dropped.
The Queen’s Speech, part of the State Opening of Parliament, allows the government to set out its proposed bills for the next parliamentary session.
The list will be read out by the monarch at a special gathering of the House of Lords and House of Commons at about 11:30 BST.
‘Clamping down’
After the government’s repeated setbacks in its efforts to deport the radical cleric Abu Qatada, an immigration bill will be announced, allowing foreign criminals to be deported more easily, as well as people who are in the UK illegally.
If passed, it would also ensure illegal immigrants cannot get driving licences, and change the rules so private landlords have to check their tenants’ immigration status.
Businesses that use illegal foreign labour would face bigger fines.
The Queen, who speaks on behalf of the government during the ceremony, is expected to say: “We want to attract people who will add to our national life, and those who will not should be deterred.”
She will add that the bill “will further reform the immigration system by tightening immigration law, strengthening our enforcement powers and clamping down on those from overseas who abuse our public services”.
The immigration bill follows the success of the UK Independence Party, which campaigns to cut net migration, in last week’s local elections in England.
The Queen’s Speech will also put forward a bill to introduce a single weekly state pension of £144 per week, which will replace the current pension of £107 plus means-tested top-ups.
A health and social care bill is expected to introduce a cap on the cost of social care in England, as recommended by the Dilnot Commission.
