Queen's Speech — Human Rights — Steel Industry — Budget Setting Principle — 26 May 2016 at 16:50

The majority of MPs voted in favour of repealing the Human Rights Act 1998; against plans to save the steel industry including fast-tracking infrastructure projects requiring large amounts of steel; and against a principle of the Government not borrowing to fund day-to-day spending.

The debate on the content of the government's legislative programme outlined in the Queens' speech is technically, and traditionally, on the subject of a message of thanks which the house is to send the monarch for making the speech.

The motion under consideration was:

• That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:
• Most Gracious Sovereign,
• We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

The amendment rejected following this vote sought to add the following to the end of the message:

• “but respectfully regret that the Gracious Speech fails to deliver for working people, to protect public services and to address the black hole in the public finances;
• further regret that the Government’s economic policy has unfairness at its core and includes tax cuts for the wealthy while failing to deal with inequality;
• regret the refusal of the Scottish Government to use its new tax powers to put an end to austerity in Scotland;
• regret that the Government is presiding over the worst decade for pay growth in nearly a century;
• call on the Government to adopt Labour’s Fiscal Credibility Rule to invest in a sustainable economy for the future and to adopt Labour’s Tax Transparency Enforcement Programme to tackle tax avoidance;
• regret that the Government has failed to defend the UK steel industry,
• believe the Government should reform the lesser duty rule and
• call on the Government to give Parliament a vote on giving China market economy status and to adopt Labour’s 4 Point Plan to save the steel industry as a part of a long-term industrial strategy;
• further call on the Government to reverse the cuts to Universal Credit work allowances; and
• call on the Government to abandon its misguided proposals to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998."

Labour's Fiscal Credibility Rule^[1] is based on a belief governments should not need to borrow to fund their day-to-day spending and states: :"we would commit to always eliminating the deficit on current spending in five years, as part of a strategy to target balance on current spending over a target five-year period."

The "lesser duty rule" relates to import tariffs on "dumped" goods. The World Trade Organisation explains the "lesser duty rule"^[2]:

• Under a lesser duty rule, authorities impose duties at a level lower than the margin of dumping if this level is adequate to remove injury.

Labour's 4 Point Plan to save the steel industry^[3] comprised:

• 1. Stabilise the industry and provide security for steelworkers.
• 2. Create a level playing field for steel - initiate a review into tackling costs hitting the sector from high business rates and energy costs.
• 3. Fast-track key infrastructure projects requiring large amounts of steel
• 4. Engage with the workforce, management and customers to turn around the industry, laying out a strategy for the steel industry in the 21st century.

The Human Rights Act 1998^[4] incorporated the rights in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law, including a "Right to life", a "Prohibition of torture", and a "Prohibition of slavery and forced labour".

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• [1] John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, speech at the RSA on Labour’s approach to the economy, March 11 2016
• [2] Technical Information on anti-dumping, World Trade Organisation
• [3] Labour’s four point plan to rescue the UK steel industry - John McDonnell, Labour Press Office, 3 April 2016
• [4] Human Rights Act 1998

Debate in Parliament |