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King Charles has unveiled the new Labour government’s plan to introduce no fewer than 40 bills over the next year.
Keir Starmer says he and his ministers “will be committed to uniting the country in our shared mission of national renewal” following 14 years of at-times chaotic Tory rule.
“This King’s Speech returns politics to serious government, returns government to service and returns service to the interests of working people,” the PM said.
“That is the path of national renewal. We start that journey immediately.”
Here are all the bills contained in the King’s Speech – and three key policies which have been left out.
Economic Stability And Growth
There are a total of 15 bills dedicated to the government’s key mission – growing the economy.
A Budget Responsibility Bill ensure any Government making significant and permanent tax and spending changes will be subject to an independent assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
The National Wealth Fund Bill will see billions of pounds of public and private money directly invest in projects around the country with the aim of boosting economic growth.
A Pension Schemes Bill will support over 15 million people who save in
private sector pension schemes boost the size of their retirement pots, and could help an average earner have over £11,000 more put aside when they stop working.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will make changes to the planning system at a local level with the aim of ensuring the government meets its target of building 1.5 million new homes by the next election.
An Employment Rights Bill will introduce the government’s “new deal for working people” into law. Its measures include banning zero hours contracts, end “fire and rehire”, make parental leave, sick pay and protection from unfair dismissal available from the first day of employment, and introduce a genuine living wage.
An English Devolution Bill will move power out of Westminster to local mayors and councils to “give local leaders the tools they need to drive growth”.
The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill will enable Labour to deliver its manifesto commitment to bring renationalise rail services.
In addition, a Railways Bill will bring together the management of the network
and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body, Great
British Railways.
The Better Buses Bill will support local political leaders to create the transport networks that are right for their communities by allowing them to take control of bus services in their areas.
The Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill introduces a new mechanism to allow the Bank of England to use funds provided by the banking sector to cover certain costs associated with resolving a failing banking institution.
An Arbitration Bill will implement the recommendations made in a 2022 Law Commission review of current Arbitration Law, with the aim of supporting more efficient dispute resolution, attracting international legal business and boosting economic growth.
The Product Safety and Metrology Bill will ensure the UK is better
placed to address modern day safety issues and ensure a level playing field between the high street and online stores.
A Digital Information and Smart Data Bill aims to harness the power of data for economic growth, support a modern digital government, and improve people’s lives.
Following the last government’s decision to scrap the second phase of HS2, the High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill aims toprovide powers to construct and operate rail projects which improve east to west links across the north of England.
The Draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill will introduce a revamped regulator to uphold standards and independent scrutiny of companies’ accounts, as well as accountability for company directors.
Great British Energy And Clean Energy Superpower
The Great British Energy Bill will create a new, publicly-owned energy
production company which will own, manage and operate clean power projects
up and down the country.
The Crown Estate Bill aims to modernise the Crown Estate by removing outdated restrictions on its activities, widening its investment powers and giving it the powers to borrow in order to invest at a faster pace.
A Sustainable Aviation Fuel (Revenue Support Mechanism) Bill will support sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in the UK, one of the key ways to
decarbonise air travel.
A Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce powers to put water companies under tough special measures if they continue to pump raw sewage into rivers, lakes and seas.
Secure Borders, Cracking Down On Anti-Social Behaviour And Take Back Our Streets
A new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will give the new Border Security Command and wider law enforcement the tools and powers they need to crack down on criminal gangs behind the small boats carrying asylum seekers across the Channel.
A Crime and Policing Bill aims to rebuild neighbourhood policing, deliver higher policing standards, crack down on anti-social behaviour and tackle retail crime.
More commonly known as Martyn’s Law after Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill requires those responsible for certain premises and events to take steps to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack and reduce harm in the event of a terrorist attack occurring.
The Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill aims to give the victims the justice system they deserve and ensure victims of crime and anti-social behaviour get the support they deserve.
Break Down The Barriers To Opportunity
A Children’s Wellbeing Bill will, among other things, require free breakfast clubs in every primary school, and create a duty on local authorities to have and maintain ‘Children Not in School’ registers, and provide support to home-educating parents.
A Skills England Bill will create a new body, Skills England, to bring together businesses, providers, unions, Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and national government to ensure we have the country has the highly-trained workforce it needs.
The Renters’ Rights Bill will, among other things, abolish no-fault evictions, strengthen tenants’ rights and make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants in receipt of benefits or with children when choosing to let their
property.
A Football Governance Bill will set up a new independent regulator for the sport to address financial sustainability and ensure fans’ voices are heard. It will also introduce a new, strengthened owners’ and directors’ test to make
sure a club’s custodians are suitable and protect fans from irresponsible owners.
A Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill will enact remaining Law Commission recommendations to bolster leaseholders’ fundamental rights to extend their lease and buy their freehold.
The Draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will enshrine in law the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities and disabled people, and introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay reporting for companies with more than 250 employees.
The Draft Conversion Practices Bill will propose new offences to target acts of
conversion practices that are not captured by existing legislation. However, the government says any ban “must not cover legitimate psychological support,
treatment, or non-directive counselling”.
Health
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce a progressive smoking ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. The bill will also stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products from being deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children.
A Mental Health Bill will modernise the 40-year-old Mental Health Act, which the government says is now “woefully out of date”. It aims to ensure patients have greater choice, autonomy, rights and support, and are treated with dignity and respect throughout their treatment.
National Security And Serving The Country
The Hillsborough Law, inspired by the experience of the 30-year fight for justice by the families of those who died in the Hillsborough tragedy, will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities.
The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill will create an Armed Forces Commissioner to champion those who serve in the military and improve service life.
Northern Ireland Legacy Legislation will put in place a framework to deal with the legacy of The Troubles.
The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill will ensure that the 100 or so hereditary peers will no longer be able to sit and vote in the House of Lords.
A Cyber Security and Resilience Bill aims to strengthen the country’s defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill will enable the government to treat the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a manner comparable to that of an international organisation of which the United Kingdom, or His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, is a member.
A Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension) Bill will extend the existing legislation ensuring that female bishops enter the House of Lords sooner than they otherwise would.
A Holocaust Memorial Bill will finally deliver the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, located next to the Houses of Parliament, as a reminder to the whole nation of the Holocaust and its victims.
And Three Measures Which Are Not Included
Plans to reduce the voting age to 16 have not been included in the King’s Speech, despite being a key reform included in Labour’s general election manifesto.
Although there will be legislation to introduce reform to the way the House of Lords operates, Labour’s plans to force peers to retire at 80 has also been omitted from the King’s Speech.
And while it was never expected to be included, the government’s decision not to bring forward measures to scrap the two-child benefit cap will tee up the first major challenge to Starmer’s authority, with Labour backbenchers planning to force a vote on the issue when the King’s Speech is debated in the Commons.
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