Christian charities are expressing concern about the new measures to curb immigration which have been announced in the Queen's speech. Access to the NHS will be tightened, landlords forced to check immigration status and illegal migrants prevented from obtaining driving licences. The Queen said the legislation will ensure that this country attracts people who will contribute and deters those who will not.
Caritas Social Action Network thinks the strict rules are unfair. Its Public Policy Officer Liam Allmark spoke to Premier's Marcus Jones during the News Hour:
The Children's Society thinks the impact immigration controls will have on children have been ignored. Its Chief Executive Matthew Reed said:
"We heard that reform of the immigration system is to 'deter those that won't contribute', including foreign criminals.
"But we are in danger of overlooking the fact that these rules will also apply to children, many of who will be fleeing danger or have been trafficked to the UK against their will.
"We already work with far too many children experiencing homelessness and destitution because of immigration restrictions on access to essential support and services.
"If these changes further restrict access to vital services, the risk of destitution, homelessness, exploitation and abuse can only increase."
During a Mass for migrants on Bank Holiday Monday, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Revd Vincent Nichols, said: "Given the proven importance of the family for social stability, surely it is for the common good that immigration policies must be more sensitively shaped in such matters.
"In 1929 many people in Italy were facing hard times, the result of inflation, debts, unemployment and food shortages. On the streets and in the countryside, there were also outbreaks of political violence.
"It was in these circumstances that the Bergoglio family sold all their possessions and emigrated to Argentina on a ship called the 'Guilio Cesarea', with all their money sown into the lining of the mother's fur coat.
"So it is that our new Holy Father, Pope Francis, comes to the See of Peter as the son of an immigrant family. Our new Holy Father chose the name Francis to signal his special concern for the poor of the world."
The Archbishop also praised how the Catholic Church welcomes newcomers.
He said:
"Our schools are important communities of integration, bringing us together and enabling us to progress together.
"They help young people and families to establish firm foundations in faith and to develop confidence in their own identity and openness to those who are different."
The Queen also spoke about the economy saying "it will also work to promote a fairer society that rewards people who work hard", cutting employers' national insurance contributions, tougher controls on dangerous dogs and tightening consumer protection. There's also going to be a cap on social care costs in England.
The Queen said:
"Legislation will be introduced to reform the way long-term care is paid for. To ensure the elderly do not have to sell their homes to meet their care bills."
However, alcohol pricing and plain cigarette packaging were not among the 21 bills.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt explained why:
"We haven't made our final decision both those are very complex decisions.
"On the plain paper packaging, if we do it, we would be the first county in Europe and only the second country in the world, and the only other country to do it is Australia and they only started doing it in January."
There was also no mention of same-sex marriage. Premier's Political Editor Martyn Eden explained on the News Hour why that was:
Labour leader Ed Miliband feared the speech wouldn't go far enough:
"I want to see a Queen's speech that responds to the deep problems that the country faces.
"Young people who can't find work, small businesses that can't get a loan from the bank and the cost of living crisis that so many families face."
Prince Charles attended the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 17 years with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall.