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NEWS

The political brief

June 4 saw the final Queen's Speech before the General Election with the Government setting out its legislative agenda and political priorities for the year ahead. While there was no specific Bill relating to schools or education, there were nonetheless several pieces of legislation of direct relevance to teachers and the education sector.

Serious Crime Bill

One of the Bills announced in the speech, the Serious Crime Bill, will include UK-wide provisions to tackle child neglect.

The criminal law on child neglect has not changed in 80 years and is based on the Poor Law Amendment Act 1868 and its replacement in 1933.

The Bill will make it clear that cruelty likely to cause psychological harm to a child will be a criminal offence. This announcement follows a campaign on the issue by Liberal Democrat MP and former NASUWT member Mark Williams.

Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland

The 2014 revision of the Child Poverty Strategy continues to focus on the same key areas as the Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland, describing outcomes around maximising household resources, improving children’s wellbeing and life chances and well designed, sustainable places.

This new strategy comes into force at a time when the number of Scots classed as living in poverty has risen by 110,000 in a year.

European Parliamentary Election Results

Party MEPs

UK Independence Party 24

Labour 20

Conservative 19

Green 3

Scottish National Party 2

Liberal Democrat 1

Sinn Fein 1

Democratic Unionist Party 1

Plaid Cymru 1

Ulster Unionist Party 1

British National Party 0

Scotland Act 2012 – transfer of tax powers

The Westminster Government confirmed it will continue to implement the Scotland Act 2012, which will be the greatest transfer of fiscal responsibility in the history of the United Kingdom.

From April 2015, UK Stamp Duty Land Tax and Landfill Tax will no longer apply in Scotland and the Scottish Parliament will introduce new Scottish taxes to replace them.

Scottish Ministers will also have enhanced borrowing powers and access to a cash reserve to manage revenues from the two taxes. From April 2016, the Scottish Parliament will also set a Scottish rate of income tax, through which it will have the flexibility to raise additional funds.

This is intended to increase the accountability of the Scottish Government and Parliament for raising funds, as well as taking decisions about how it spends them.

Together, these changes will mean that the Scottish Parliament will be responsible for funding around a third of its own devolved spending.

Opposition Response to the Queen's Speech

In responding to the Speech, Labour leader Ed Miliband focused on the issues he believes should have been included, and advocated the following additional Bills: • Make Work Pay Bill to reward hard work;

• Banking Bill to support small business;

• Community Bill to devolve power;

• Immigration Bill to stop workers being undercut; • Consumers Bill to freeze energy bills;

• Housing Bill to tackle the housing crisis; and

• NHS Bill to make it easier to see your GP and stop privatisation.