MORE help for first time home buyers, a doubling of free childcare and tax cuts are on the way for thousands of people across Worcestershire - as the Queen's Speech of the new Tory Government was revealed.

The legislative plans for the new parliament were revealed today - with an in-out vote on the European Union at the heart of it.

The measures include extending free childcare for parents of three and four-year-olds from 15 hours each week to 30 hours, and raising the personal tax allowance from £10,600 to £12,500 by 2020.

As well as extending the right-to-buy scheme to all housing association properties and offering 20 per cent off 200,000 new starter homes for under-40s, the Government sprung a surprise by revealing some police and crime commissioners (PCCs) face the axe.

The Government is suggesting councils which take up the offer to be run by mayors, a deal handed to city regions in return for getting extra powers, would scrap their PCCs.

Bill Longmore, the PCC for West Mercia, today distanced himself from it by suggesting it would be unlikely to happen here.

"The announcement in the Queen’s Speech comes as no surprise, and I think that where it’s appropriate there could be some merit to the plans," he said.

"However metro mayors are obviously aimed at the most densely populated, urban parts of England and the model is designed to suit those areas.

“We can and should be proud of our own cities, towns and villages but we are very different to the big metropolitan areas, so we need to do things a different way, to make sure we're meeting the needs of our communities.

“I don’t expect ‘metro mayors’ to feature in the West Mercia area, and I don’t expect them to impact on the PCC’s role here either."

Elsewhere, the new Government will offer the promised referendum on the EU by 2017 and in education, new powers would be brought forward to speed up the process of changing a failing school's leadership and turning it into an academy.

Those considered to be 'coasting', not performing as well as they could be, would also face being taken over.

On immigration it will also become an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to hire abroad without first advertising in the UK - a policy which featured prominently in Labour's election manifesto.

A Full Employment and Welfare Benefits Bill will aim to create three million new apprenticeships and two million fresh jobs by 2020, with ministers forced to report to parliament annually on the progress.

Gary Woodman, an executive director at Worcestershire's Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “Measures highlighted in the Queen’s Speech to reduce the regulation and ‘red tape’ for small and growing businesses are to be welcomed.

"This was recognised as a priority in Worcestershire’s Strategic Economic Plan as a transforming regulatory culture provides practical support and advice to micro and SME businesses which helps start-ups, business expansion, economic growth and supports exporting.

"The Worcestershire LEP is already working with Worcestershire Regulatory Services and DEFRA on a Government approved UK pilot aimed at securing a better regulatory experience in the food and drink sector which is significant locally and nationally.

"Furthermore, any devolution in Worcestershire to local government, working with local businesses and partner organisations, would be successful in securing sustainable growth and job creation across the county."

Plasterer Derek Jones, 51, of Hylton Road, Worcester, said: "Jobs is what people really care about, that's what he should be focusing on, I think.

“I’ve got mixed views on what I’ve heard but he’s giving us a vote on Europe and trying to create more jobs so that’s positive.”

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: "Following an election campaign that focused heavily on how we ensure more people share the benefits of economic recovery I am glad to see measures to help the low paid keep more of what they earn and take people on the minimum wage out of tax altogether.

"I've always said that education is key to equality of opportunity and it's good to see education, apprenticeships and aspiration featuring so strongly."

The new Tory Government also wants to make seven-day access to GPs a reality, something David Cameron promised before the elections.

Dr Mark Porter, the council chair of the British Medical Association, said: "Doctors believe patients should have access to high quality healthcare as and when they need it.

"The NHS already provides many GP and hospital services seven days a week.

“The real question for the Government is how they plan to deliver more care when the NHS is facing a huge funding gap and there is a chronic shortage of GPs and hospital doctors, especially in emergency medicine, where access to 24-hour care is vital."

The speech today also included a pledge on English votes for English laws, and greater devolution of powers across the UK.

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin said: "I am especially pleased to see two issues which I campaigned on in the last Parliament – English votes for English laws and help with childcare – becoming part of this year’s legislative agenda.

"I also welcome the proposals which will see a five year lock on certain tax increases and the guarantee that people working 30 hours a week on the minimum wage will not pay income tax.

"This Queen’s Speech was about setting out the Government’s plans for securing Britain’s future and helping to reward hard-working families who do the right thing and want to get on in life and who have saved wisely for their own home and for their retirement."