Queen’s Speech: Cameron Pushes Family-Friendly Laws, Banking Regulation and Lords Reform

The Queen's Speech is expected to lay out the government's new family friendly agenda and the possibility of reform at the House of Lords.

The coalition government will use the announcement platform to launch legislation offering parents more flexible leave, greater support for children with special needs, increased ease of adoption and changes to speed up family court proceedings.

The annual speech will present prime minister David Cameron with a crucial platform to reinvigorate his government's policy, after taking heavy losses in the local elections.

The government will also be keen to lay down new policy foundations, after suffering a prolonged battle to reform the NHS amid controversy brought to light by the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics.

Liberal Democrat plans to push ahead reforms at the House of Lords are also expected, as the party hopes to see the house reduced to 300 members, 80 percent of which will be elected.

The Lords reforms are significantly less popular among Conservatives, but are expected to be given a push in order to show unity in the coalition.

The government's banking reform bill, which aims to splt banks along retail and investment lines, is also expected to be presented in the speech.

The government also plans to take action on executive pay, with recent big payouts roundly criticised amid the atmosphere of austerity. It is understood that the government plans to give shareholders the power to approve major pay deals.

Business secretary Vince Cable's enterprise bill will make wide ranging chances including competition reform and alterations to employment law, such as more arbitration over employment disputes.

Concerns have been raised that the speech will also see the publishing of draft bill on increasing internet surveillance, a move expected to face fierce opposition.

It is thought that health secretary Andrew Lansley's social care reforms will be held back again as the department fights to improve its public image following the controversial health bill.

Speaking on May 8, Cameron and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said that it could take the government seven years to eradicate the UK's deficit.

Speaking about the recent local election losses, Cameron said: "It was not lost on me that where our two parties got a particular beating was in Wales, Scotland and in the large cities of northern England.

"I take one message from that. We must redouble our efforts to govern for the whole country."