This week, the Government unveiled our new agenda for the year ahead in Her Majesty The Queen’s Speech. Our priority is to ensure the UK builds back better and stronger from the pandemic.
The NHS also remains a top priority, and this Government is committing to deliver on our promises to support jobs and business, make our streets safer, and continue to lead the global fight against climate change.
I hope constituents will have been enthused listening to Her Majesty’s speech, which it was an honour to be able to hear from the Peers lobby. We are committed to uniting and levelling up every corner of the UK.
I want to go into a bit more detail about the Speech, with a focus on relevant, upcoming Bills, below:
Levelling Up and Infrastructure
- A Health and Social Care Bill
- This will build on ideas first put forward by the NHS, so we can build on this progress, and shape a system that can better serve people in a fast-changing world
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/health-and-social-care-secretary-matt-hancock-on-proposals-for-a-health-and-care-bill
- A Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill
- This will extend 5G mobile coverage and introduce new safety standards for digital devices
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-laws-to-wipe-out-rural-mobile-not-spots-and-speed-up-rollout-of-next-generation-5g-technology
- The Subsidy Control Bill
- This will set out post-Brexit regulations on how the government can support private companies, now the UK has left the EU's "state aid" regime
- The Procurement Bill
- This will replace EU rules on how the government buys services from the private sector
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-plans-set-out-to-transform-procurement-providing-more-value-for-money-and-benefitting-small-business
- The National Insurance Contributions Bill
- This will include tax breaks for employers based in eight freeports to be set up in England later this year
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus/english-freeports-selection-decision-making-note
- The Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill
- This will establish a new UK agency to search for ground-breaking scientific discoveries
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advanced-research-and-invention-agency-aria-statement-of-policy-intent/advanced-research-and-invention-agency-aria-policy-statement
- The High-Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill
- This will contain new powers to build and operate the next stage of the HS2 high-speed rail line
Environment and animal welfare
- The Environment Bill,
- This crucial legislation will introduce new post-Brexit rules on protecting nature
- Link: https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/news/environment-bill-update-0
- An Action Plan for Animal Welfare, including:
- The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill
- This will recognise animal sentience - the capacity of animals to have feelings, including pain and suffering - in law
- Link: https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/news/animal-welfare-sentencing-bill
- The Kept Animals Bill
- This bring more effective powers to tackle livestock worrying
- End the export of live animals for slaughter, fattening etc
- Introducing mandatory microchipping
- The Government are also looking at three separate mandatory scanning campaigns: Tuk’s Law, Fern’s Law and Gizmo’s Legacy.
- The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill
Education
- A Skills and Post-16 Education Bill
- This will introduce a new "flexible loan" system designed to promote wider participation in further education in England
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pioneering-reforms-to-boost-skills-and-jobs
- The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill
- This will place new legal duties on students' unions and universities in England to ensure free speech on campus
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landmark-proposals-to-strengthen-free-speech-at-universities
- The PM’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee (The Skills Bill)
- This will give people the skills they need for well-paid jobs and opportunities to train throughout their lifetime
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hundreds-of-free-qualifications-on-offer-to-boost-skills-and-jobs
Borders and security
- The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
- This will back our incredible police, prevent and cut crime, and bring offenders to justice swiftly, through an efficient court system
- Link: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill announced | Mims Davies
- A draft Online Safety Bill
- This will contain new requirements on tech giants to tackle harmful and illegal content online
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-leads-the-way-in-a-new-age-of-accountability-for-social-media
- The Counter-State Threats Bill
- This will introduce new registration requirements for foreign agents and rules for protecting state secrets
- The Telecommunications (Security) Bill
- This will place new legal duties on telecoms firms to increase network security, and restrict the use of "high risk" technology
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-telecoms-security-law-to-protect-uk-from-cyber-threats
- A draft Victims Bill
- This will create new rights for the victims of crime, including new standards on support offered to sexual and domestic victims
Armed forces
- The Armed Forces Bill
- This will outline Government support for veterans, putting the Armed Forces Covenant into law
- Link: https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/news/armed-forces-bill-has-second-reading
- Legacy legislation dealing with legacy issues from the Troubles in Northern Ireland
Housing
- A Planning Bill
- This will introduce changes to the planning system in England, including a controversial zoning system
- Link: https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/my-submission-planning-white-paper-consultation-behalf-mid-sussex-constituents-oct-2020
- The Building Safety Bill
- This will set out a new system for regulating the safety of high-rise buildings, and inspecting construction sites
- Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/explained-the-draft-building-safety-bill
Constitutional reform
- A Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill
- This will get rid of the fixed five-year period between general elections and return the power to call early elections to the prime minister
- An Electoral Integrity Bill
- This will introduce plans to force voters in Great Britain to prove their identity when they vote at general elections
- Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9187/
- A Judicial Review Bill
- This will set out the government's plans to change how its decisions can be challenged in the courts
Additional
- We will ban LGBT conversion therapy in the UK, introducing legislation to protect people from this coercive and harmful practice, and launch a new support service for victims.
- We will also be introducing measures to reduce racial and ethnic disparities
- Introducing measures to tackle obesity and improve mental health support
I want to finish by including a small part of the Prime Minister’s statement to the House of Commons today, following Her Majesty's Speech:
“We will be a force for good in the world as one United Kingdom"
“We will continue with ever greater intensity to connect talent with opportunity - for the British people to achieve their full potential at last."
Relevant links to Her Majesty The Queen’s Speech are as follows: