Tony Blair today defended the emphasis on crime-fighting and counter-terrorism in the bills the Government plans to introduce in the next parliamentary session.

Brushing aside accusations that the new laws in the Queen's Speech created a climate of fear rather than offering a vision of hope for the future, the Prime Minister said that tougher measures were needed to cope with a changing world.

"In every area, we recognise that the future is posing fresh challenges - the traditional ways of meeting them no longer do," said Mr Blair.

"If we want to help the British people cope with economic globalisation, terrorism, organised crime, the pressures of modern work and family life, we have to change radically the way public services, the welfare state and the criminal justice system work."

But Michael Howard condemned the Government's legislative programme, saying that hard-working families had "heard it all before".

The Opposition leader said: "What does it say about this Prime Minister's priorities when he talks about protecting children from sweets and crisps, but he won't keep them safe from cannabis?"

The Queen's speech introduced a dozen Home Office bills, he went on, but why "after seven and a half years, and five months before an election, should we believe this Government is suddenly going to fix crime?"

In fact, the Queen's Speech included 32 bills and five sets of proposals on the theme "security and opportunity for all", with legislation to introduce ID cards, criminalise drug use, give police stronger powers of arrest and search, and to set up an FBI-style agency to fight serious crime.

Later there will also be proposals on counter-terrorism, although no measures were specified in today's speech. They could include Diplock courts for terrorist cases, and the admission of phone-tapping evidence in court for the first time.

A new Road Safety Bill will toughen the penalties on motorists using mobile phones while driving. Police will also have the power to use roadside breathalyser tests as proof of guilt, instead of having to test suspects at a police station. The Bill will also ensure that foreign drivers cannot escape punishment in Britain.

The Queen said in her address: "My Government recognises that we live in a time of global uncertainty with an increased threat from international terrorism and organised crime. Measures to extend opportunity will be accompanied by legislation to increase security for all."

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill will give local councils more powers to tackle fly-tipping, abandoned cars, noise nuisance and light pollution.

A Drugs Bill will allow the police to test anyone for drugs once they are arrested, irrespective of whether they are later charged with an offence. But a Home Office spokesman denied reports that testing positive for drugs would become a criminal offence.

And Tony Blair has fulfilled his promise to introduce a new offence of corporate manslaughter when workers or customers die as a result of a company's slipshod practices, although trade unions complained that as it was only a draft Bill there might not be time for it to pass into law before the next election.

The programme also includes a Consumer Credit Bill to prevent card companies encouraging people to run up huge debts. The move will be coupled with a crackdown on unscrupulous moneylenders and comes as figures show that Britons are more than £1,000 billion in debt.

"Consumer credit law will be updated to provide greater protection from unfair lending practices and create a fairer and more competitive credit market," the Queen said.

Her speech did not go into details, but The Times reported this morning that loan sharks are to be pursued with fines and surprise raids, and there will be action to prevent extortionate loan deals.

On the "opportunity" theme, the speech - delivered amid traditional pomp and pageantry from the golden throne in the House of Lords - includes a measure to extend child benefit to families where youngsters aged 16-19 are still in training and further education.

An Education Bill is promised to introduce a shorter, sharper school inspection regime. Disabled people will gain more rights under a new Discrimination Bill, and an Equality Bill will extend protection against discrimination on grounds of religious faith.

A combined Commission for Equality and Human Rights will also be set up to oversee work against discrimination of all kinds.

Other measures in the programme include a bill providing for a referendum on the proposed European Constitution, and another aimed at making it simpler for organisations to get cash from the lottery.

An Animal Welfare Bill will pull together existing legislation on animal welfare in England and Wales - with speculation the Government could also use it to amend the Hunting Act to bring in a delay on the ban until July 2006.

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