© Screengrab from Reuters videoQueen Elizabeth
The Queen is carrying out her first major public ceremonial duty since the death of her husband Prince Philip as she attends the State Opening of Parliament.
Her Majesty today outlined promises from the Government to receive more tailored and preventative care through the NHS, to provide measures to tackle obesity and mental health and to bring proposals on social reform forward.
The Queen is setting out the Government's post-pandemic agenda outlining a raft of new laws the PM hopes will help him fulfil his promise to tackle inequality and "level up" the country.
In the 18 months since Boris Johnson's Conservatives were re-elected with a big parliamentary majority, his agenda has been eclipsed by the pandemic, which caught his government off guard and has absorbed much of its resources in forming policy.
With the UK's vaccination programme now far ahead of many other countries and the spread of the virus at low levels, the PM is hoping to revive his 'levelling up' agenda and re-set a premiership that has been clouded by accusations of cronyism.
"These new laws are the rocket fuel that we need to level up this country and ensure equal opportunities for all," Mr Johnson said in a statement before the speech.
"We know that having the right skills and training is the route to better, well-paid jobs."
© Tim Rooke/REX/ShutterstockThe Queen on the day of the State Opening of Parliament
The Prime Minister said he was "revolutionising" the adult education and training system as the Government prepared to set out its legislative agenda in the Queen's Speech.
Downing Street said the promise of a "lifetime skills guarantee" will be central to plans for the new parliamentary session as the Government seeks to rebuild the nation after the coronavirus pandemic.
No 10 said new laws will create a post-16 and adult education and training system that is "fit for the future".
Fresh legislation will seek to transform the student loan system to give every adult access to a flexible loan for higher-level education and training at university or college.
© VICKIE FLORES/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockBritain's Prime Minster Boris Johnson departs 10 Downing Street ahead of the State Opening of Parliament in London
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Queen's Speech would be "jam-packed" with measures to "level up" the country and deliver on the Government's promise.
Mr Hancock said the Government remained committed to long-term reform of adult social care in England but declined to say when it would publish proposals.
"This is an incredibly important area. We are committed to bringing forward reforms on social care - we are committed to that in our manifesto," he told Sky News.
© PAThe Imperial State Crown leaves Buckingham Palace
© REUTERSCrown of Britain's Queen Elizabeth is transported
"We will be bringing forward a long-term plan for reform of social care. As we come out of Covid, so we can return to delivering on those manifesto commitments that we made.
"We have seen the importance of social care through this crisis. That has strengthened the need for reform, the need for integration with the NHS."
© Ian Vogler / Daily MirrorLondon's state opening of Parliament
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said that the Queen's Speech is the moment the Government needs to start delivering for the people of Britain.
When told on Sky News about Health Secretary Matt Hancock not ruling out proposals for social care, she said: "Not ruling it out, but not ruling it in - that's basically what we have had for a really long time. "
"It was 22 months ago that the Prime Minister said he would fix social care.
© VICKIE FLORES/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockThe Queen on the day of the State Opening of Parliament
"They have refused to speak to other political parties, they haven't brought forward any concrete changes.
"This Queen's Speech is the moment where they have to start delivering for Britain.
"They have had 11 years in Government, and what we have seen over that time in places like Wigan, where I live, we have seen money stripped out of our communities, we have seen councils put under enormous pressure, and that's had a huge knock-on implication for our older people, for issues like social care.
"We have got to see real action to fix it."
© PAMasked Yeoman Warders march along the Royal gallery during the ceremonial search of the Palace of Westminster in London, ahead of the State Opening of Parliament
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said he hoped a cap on care costs will be announced in the Queen's Speech.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "I'm hoping to hear that we will introduce a cap on people's care costs because around one in 10 of us will have catastrophically high care costs.
"It's an incredible worry for people. It's a lottery. You don't know, that could be you.
"I think in a civilised society we should find a way of taking away that worry.
"I think there's a big misconception here that this is sort of helping people with expensive houses in the southeast pass on their inheritance."