THE Queen’s Speech last week, widely predicted by commentators to be something of a damp squib, in fact provided plenty of substance which I for one look forward to getting my teeth into in the months ahead.

The centrepiece is a fundamental change to our pensions system that will give people who work hard more security in their retirement and allow for innovation in the private pensions market to give individuals more choice than ever over how their money is invested and how and when they access it.

Continuing the theme of making life that little bit easier for hardworking people, there is a new bill to give families more help with the cost of childcare.

And in the wake of some horrific cases of modern “hidden” slavery, there will be measures to strengthen the powers to prevent human trafficking and improve the support available to the victims of such crimes.

Many of the Government’s plans are part of the wider economic plan to secure the robust recovery for our country and produce a Britain that has a stronger and more competitive economy.

So far, the deficit is down by more than one-third, income tax has been cut for 25 million people and 1.5 million more jobs and 1.7 million apprenticeships have been created – but there is still a long way to go.

Recognising the importance of infrastructure to continued economic recovery, the Queen’s Speech also paved the way for the biggest investment in roads since the 1970s – cause for celebration for those committed to ensuring that a significant portion of that investment finds its way to south Wiltshire.

The debate on forthcoming bills has been continuing all week, while I have, among other things, been continuing my work on food poverty. The all-party inquiry heard some compelling and instructive evidence in Salisbury on Friday and further hearings are scheduled for the coming weeks.

There is more that unites than divides us and I look forward to the group producing practical an constructive recommendations.