Reaction to Queen's Speech- Bruce

12.11.18pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 15th Nov 2006

The Queen delivers the legislative programme for the year at the State Opening of Parliament

Comment on the Queen's Speech by Malcolm Bruce MP for Gordon, President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats:

"The Government needs less legislation and more competent delivery.

"ID cards will divert billions of pounds which could be invested in greater security without gratuitous invasion of civil liberties.

"The Climate Change Bill presents a great opportunity for Scotland if it has teeth and is not a Trojan horse to impose nuclear power. If the environment really is top of the Government's agenda this bill should not have been introduced at the expense of a Marine Conservation Bill - rather one of too many Home Office Bills should have been left out."

Mr Bruce, who is Chairman of the International Development Committee of the House of Commons, whose members spent last week in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Tel Aviv, added:

"As this is Tony Blair's last speech, he needs to explain how he can restore the British Government's credibility on the Middle East peace process, compromised as it is, by the invasion of Iraq and failure to call for an earlier halt of Israel's bombardment of Lebanon and Gaza.

"The UK should take a lead in getting desperately needed funds for public services in the occupied territories of Palestine and an end to the severe restrictions of movement and access that is strangling public services and the day to day functioning of the economy in Gaza and the West Bank."

ENDS