Tory leader David Cameron has said expenses reform was a "big omission" from the Queen's Speech yesterday.

He criticised the government for not addressing the issue, which he claimed either reflected "incompetent" ministers, or Labour's fear of backbenchers.

Sir Christopher Kelly, who was drafted in by the government to make recommendations on expenses reforms, said he was "disappointed" by the speech.

But later said he had been reassured by the government that legislation regarding Parliamentary claims will be brought forward.

Sir Christopher spent six months producing a report to remedy the current expenses system in Westminster, which came under heavy criticism earlier this year.

His remit only stretched to making recommendations for the government's consideration.

A main theme in his report was the power wielded by new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which Sir Christopher said should be made responsible for pay and pensions, and be allowed to conduct more rigorous investigations.

Following yesterday's Queen's Speech, he said: "It is disappointing therefore that today's Queen's Speech did not contain measures to address the changes we believe to be necessary affecting the remit, powers and independence of the new body being established to regulate expenses."

But Sir Christopher issued a later statement, which read: "This is too important an issue to play party politics with. The government has clarified its position on legislation to reform MPs' expenses."

Sir Christopher said he welcomed plans to have the legislation in place before the start of the next Parliament.

However, Mr Cameron said there was a "a great big silence" on 11 issues, which he believes were necessary in yesterday's speech.

"Either the government is incompetent and hadn't realised that Kelly's report requires these laws to be passed or they are frightened of their own backbenchers, or perhaps they don't think cleaning up the House of Commons is as important as they said it was," he told the BBC.

(PR/BMcC)