ASSEMBLY members are set to gain a raft of additional powers following yesterday’s Queen’s Speech in which the new government set out legislation plans.

The Queen gave her first speech on behalf of a majority Tory government in almost 20 years, and outlined proposals to call an EU referendum by 2017, give housing association tenants in England the right to buy their homes, create a ‘seven-day NHS’ and resurrect the Investigatory Powers Bill, dubbed the Snoopers' Charter, giving the government more surveillance powers over online communication in an effort to combat terrorism.

It also covered banning legal highs and imposing stricter regulations on strike ballots.

Cardiff Bay is expected to gain control over speed limits, fracking and oil exploration, energy developments up to 350MW (such as tidal power) and sewerage among other policy areas when the Wales Bill comes into effect.

The new law will see Wales move to a ‘reserved powers’ model where the default position is for policies to be set in Wales, with exceptions specified such as defence and policing which will remain controlled by Westminster.

Newport West MP Paul Flynn said the lack of legislation on scrapping the Human Rights Act in the speech was a victory for opposition parties cooperating with Tory rebels. “They are not in a position to put in place a vital plank of their policy,” he said. “The sensible people in their own party like Dominic Grieve can see this is a piece of cheap populism which could be detrimental to human rights throughout Europe.”

Rosemary Butler, presiding officer of the National Assembly and AM for Newport West, said: “I welcome the commitment made to deliver a Wales bill which honours in full the commitments made in the St David’s Day process.

“I will be meeting with the Secretary of State for Wales shortly when I will be seeking assurances that while we might move quickly, there is ample opportunity to scrutinise any new proposals and consider their impact on Wales.

Andrew RT Davies AM, Welsh Tory leader, said: “This is an empowering Queen’s speech, supporting hardworking people, making work pay and helping small businesses.”

But the Liberal Democrats claimed the Queen’s Speech was an unveiling of the ‘old nasty party’. Spokesman Mark Williams MP, the only Lib Dem to keep his seat in Wales this general election, said it featured policies that the Liberal Democrats had previously blocked in Government, adding: "The human rights we hold dear, our right to privacy in an online age and our future as an outward-looking country are all hanging in the balance again."

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales spokeswoman Janet Jones said: “We welcome legislation to grant further powers to Wales as part of today’s Queen’s Speech. However, the additional powers that would be granted under this legislation appear likely to fall short of the recommendations of the two reports of the Silk Commission, which FSB Wales has endorsed.”

Jeremy Blackburn, head of policy for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, said: “2017 is too late for an EU referendum if the property sector is to maintain levels of inward investment. We also need to make the new settlements in Scotland and Wales work and not get mired in five years of constitutional debate.”