House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

During his speech Lee Rowley praises veteran heckler Labour MP Dennis Skinner as being on "fine form" - despite he notes having become an MP "a decade before I was born".

Image source, HoC

Tomorrow - Britain’s place in the world

Wednesday 16 October - Public services

Thursday 17 October - Climate emergency

Monday 21 October - NHS

Tuesday 22 October - Economy

House of Commons
Parliament

So what's happening in the Commons right now?

Technically, MPs will be debating a humble address (a communication from the House to the monarch) thanking Her Majesty for the gracious speech.

This is formally called a loyal address.

Tory MP Lee Rowley is moving the address in the Commons now.

House of Commons
Parliament

Speaker John Bercow reads out a statement about the duties and responsibilities of MPs in Parliament.

He says the House asserts its "privilege of freedom of speech" but adds that MPs "must be mindful of the impact of what they say".

He also says all MPs should "be heard courteously whatever their views".

BBC News Channel

Steve Brine, on of the 21 Brexit rebels whom Boris Johnson kicked out of the Tory parliamentary party last month, says he is "very confident" there will be a Brexit deal.

He says Irish PM Leo Varadkar "has clearly moved closer to the prime minster", and says Mr Johnson in turn "has moved closer to him".

However, he says he doesn't know the details of what is being discussed by the UK and EU negotiating teams.

The prime minister, he adds, "deserves the space to land this", adding: "Let's give the guy a chance."

House of Commons
Parliament

After being delivered by the Queen in the House of Lords this morning, MPs will now get a chance to debate its contents - from around 14.30 BST this afternoon.

The debate is scheduled to last into Thursday - at the start of this afternoon's sitting, Speaker John Bercow will announce which subjects will be debated on each day.

Each day of debate is different and centres around different topics, usually chosen by the leader of the opposition.

Image source, PA Media

The Queen's Speech this morning took the monarch nine minutes and 40 seconds to read out, the longest since 2014.

It weighed in at 1,086 words - around the average length for such a speech during Elizabeth II's 67-year reign.

The longest speech she has delivered came in November 1999, when she had to deliver a speech lasting 1,751 words.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Professor Meg Russell, director of the constitutional unit at University College London, says the Queen's speech was "highly unusual" - but not because it came from a minority government.

She told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "A minority government is just as entitled to set out its programme and encourage the House of Commons to support it than any other."

However, she says the timing is odd, with the Brexit deadline barely two weeks, and MPs will "now spend days talking about this speech" rather than negotiations.

"It is a bit curious they didn't wait until 1 November," she adds.

She says the biggest anomaly is the announcement of a number of bills when Boris Johnson has spent weeks saying he wants a general election.

"We have to question whether he wants to introduce those bills," she says.

"The House of Commons denied him an election, but he hasn't yet said 'fair cop, let's knuckle down and get on with it'.

"It will be interesting this afternoon to see if he changes his rhetoric."

Image source, Getty Images

The Federation of Small Businesses says today's Queen's Speech was a "stark reminder" of domestic challenges "neglected over the past three years as Brexit has absorbed government bandwidth".

The National Chairman of the FSB, Mike Cherry, says: "There are proposals to welcome within the bills unveiled today, but unless we re-inject some stability into parliamentary proceedings, they may never become reality.

"Concrete action is needed at the upcoming Budget to help small firms handle spiraling costs linked to business rates and employment."

He adds: "We have the legislation to enable Brexit, we now need to see negotiators pulling out all the stops this week to reach an agreement that secures a transition period, protects access to trade and skills, and can command a majority in the Commons.

"Small business owners are sick to the back teeth of uncertainty."

Image source, EPA

...and European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva was asked about a "light at the end of the tunnel" when it came to negotiations with the UK.

She was also asked whether any light was "static" or "approaching".

She tells reporters: "I'm really not a technician in light bulbs or light effects.

"Maybe it could be a flashing light, because sometimes it's stronger, sometimes it's less strong.

"So let's see what kind of light we will see at the end. Hopefully there will be light indeed."

Asked about the technical level discussions happening in Brussels today, Ms Andreeva adds: "We cannot provide a running commentary on all the issues that are discussed.

"But our position remains as such that the withdrawal agreement must have a legally operational solution that meets all our objectives."

BBC News Channel

SNP MP Stewart Hosie says he thinks there will have to be a confidence vote in the government "at some point".

The "key thing", he adds, is to extend the UK's membership again to avoid no-deal before a general election takes place.

This would allow for a new government to take shape, so there can be a Queen's Speech that "might actually stand some chance of being delivered".

BBC News Channel

Tory MP Steve Baker, who chairs the Brexit-backing European Research Group, says he was "very pleased" with the "centre-ground Queen's Speech" delivered this morning.

He says he is "open" to voting for a "tolerable" agreement with the European Union.

He adds he has "every expectation" Boris Johnson will get such a deal, but he would need to see the details first before deciding whether to back it.

"Until we get the text, I can't tell you what we're going to do," he adds.

Image source, Reuters

Business lobby group, the CBI, welcomes the promises from the Queen's Speech, but warns the Brexit backdrop could hamper them.

Its deputy director general, Josh Hardie, says: “With a no-deal Brexit still possible and a general election looming, for businesses this Queen’s Speech was less about the pomp and more about the circumstance.

“The prime minister has a domestic vision that could excite enterprise and drive growth.

“Firms will welcome the focus on improving jobs, backed by investment in science, infrastructure and education.

“Businesses could work with a points-based immigration system that recognises people’s contribution is about much more than just their pay packet.

“With a clear, environmental vision that builds on the existing industrial strategy, the UK could step forward with renewed confidence.

“But it is impossible to ignore the Brexit straight-jacket. The reality of no-deal is that it would set the country back.

"To deliver the ambition set out in the Queen’s Speech, the will to get a deal must unlock a way to build a new, closely aligned relationship with the EU.”

BBC News Channel

Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the Brexit select committee, says it is possible that at this week's key Brussels summit EU leaders will agree an "outline" deal without finalising the legal text needed for an agreement.

He adds that it seems "almost inevitable" to him that there will have to be another Brexit delay.

He says that he personally will not vote for any deal based only on a "Canada-style free trade agreement", which he says would be damaging for the economy.