Opportunity for all: responding to the rising aspirations of the British people

The task of this Queen’s Speech is to respond to the rising aspirations of the British people by delivering new and better opportunities for all.

Our goal is to provide the best chances for people to make the most of themselves and their potential – a Britain where people rise as far as their talents take them and where all the talents of each of us can contribute to the wellbeing of all. That is why we believe in supporting all parents with children and not just some. It is why we believe in investing in the educational chances of all children not just some.

Our starting point is the concerns, the struggles and the hopes and ambitions of families in every part of our country. The priorities of Britain’s hard-working families who play by the rules are our priorities – education, the NHS, security, affordable housing, a better balance between work and family life; and a strong economy – and these will be the priorities of the Queen’s Speech.

And it is by listening to the British people that we are responding to their rising aspirations in this Queen’s Speech with change to support hard-working families and help break down barriers to opportunity that prevent people from realising their full potential.

The Queen’s Speech will continue the work of change with:

• change to help put affordable housing within the reach of the many and not just the few;

• change to extend educational opportunity to all our young people to ensure that young people stay in education or training until age 18, including new measures to extend apprenticeship opportunities;

• change so that the NHS becomes more focused around the needs of the individual patient;

• change to help all children get the best possible start in life with measures to improve services for vulnerable children; and improve youth and community facilities;

• change to protect the environment;

• change to the way we do politics with more power being shared across our society, not concentrated in Westminster;

• and alongside measures to meet rising aspirations, change to build stronger communities, and tackle crime and terrorism.

This programme for change will continue to be built on the foundation of a strong and stable economy, with low inflation, sound public finances, high levels of employment, and interest rates kept as low as possible.