Gordon Brown attempted to get his premiership back on track yesterday as he set out his vision for Britain with a Queen's Speech including 28 new Bills.

High-profile measures included Bills giving police greater powers to question terror suspects, raising the education leaving age to 18 and paving the way for a new generation of nuclear power plants.

It followed the Prime Minister's announcement a month ago that there would be no General Election because he wanted time "to get on with my job of putting my vision of what the future of the country was".

The Queen's Speech provided an opportunity to do that.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Brown said the policies were designed "to prepare and equip our country for the future and to meet the rising aspirations of the British people."

Conservative leader David Cameron claimed the Government had recycled old policies, calling the speech: "Yet another rehash of short-term gimmicks and the same old thinking."

No new measures on immigration were announced yesterday, but the Government has also been highlighting plans to improve public confidence in the immigration system.

Birmingham MP Steve McCabe (Lab Hall Green) said plans to improve the skills of British workers would work alongside plans to introduce a points system for potential immigrants, so that only people with the skills employers need are invited into the country.

Mr McCabe said the plans marked a shift in attitudes to immigration: "You will have to have the skills that we need and you will have to have the language."

Immigration would continue with the Government making an "assessment" of the number of people British industry needed, he added.

But by training people until the age of 18, it would become easier for businesses to find suitable British workers.

The most controversial of yesterday's Bills is likely to be one giving police new powers to question suspects after they have been charged, a move already announced by both Mr Brown and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

No fresh details were given in the speech on the Government's favoured option to extend the current 28 days detention without charge for terror suspects. Ministers will continue to seek a cross-party consensus, although they are believed to be hoping to extend the period to 56 days.

In other moves, employers will be required to contribute to workers' pensions and employees are to have extended rights to request flexible working to look after children.

On housing, a new Homes and Communities Agency will be set up to deliver affordable homes and promote regeneration of run-down areas.

Reforms to the planning system to speed up developments were also promised.

The speech also confirmed proposals will be brought forward to "renew the constitutional settlement" and strengthen the relationship between the Government, Parliament and the people.

Councils will also get powers to run pilot schemes testing "pay as you throw" bin taxes.

On foreign affairs, Mr Brown set his face firmly against a referendum on the EU reform treaty, promising instead to allow lengthy debates in the Commons.