King's Speech Bills

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Introduction

I have written the background information for all of the bills mentioned in the King's Speech. The green bills are currently passing through Parliament, and you will find more info in the dropdown of said bills. I will write more in-depth reviews of the actual bills shortly.

Economic Stability and Growth

• Budget Responsibility Bill ▼

  • Introduced in the House of Commons on 18 July 2024.
  • Stage: 2nd Reading (Date to be announced)
  • This Bill will introduce a 'fiscal lock' which will:
    • 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), giving them the power to produce an assessment at a time of its choosing.
    • reinforce market credibility and public trust by preventing large-scale unfunded commitments that are not subject to an OBR fiscal assessment.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• National Wealth Fund Bill ▼

  • The National Wealth Fund (NWF) will play a central role in the Government's industrial strategy and growth and clean energy superpower missions making transformative investments across every part of the country supporting thousands of good jobs and making everyone better off, while generating a return for the taxpayer. It will directly invest in the priority sectors set out in the manifesto in every corner of the country. The NWF will work with local partners, including mayors, to bring together a finance and investment offer that supports the needs of local areas and catalyses growth in all corners of the country.
  • To ensure investments can start immediately, the Fund will deploy funding through the UK Infrastructure Bank, expanding its remit and providing an additional £7.3 billion to catalyse private investment at an even greater scale. It will aim to generate £3 of private sector investment for every £1 it invests.
  • The NWF will simplify the UK's fragmented landscape of support for businesses and investors, aligning critical institutions like the UK Infrastructure Bank and British Business Bank to create a step change in our ability to mobilise private capital in the industries of the future.
  • While we have already begun the work to align these institutions, the Bill will put the NWF on a permanent statutory footing. Aligning these institutions under the NWF will create a single coherent offer for businesses and a compelling proposition for investors, to smartly public capital to unlock investment opportunities.
  • This Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Pension Schemes Bill ▼

  • A private pensions market that encourages consolidation and focuses on value and outcomes for members will not only enable security in retirement, but also enable pension schemes to invest in a wider range of assets, driving growth.
  • The Bill's measures include:
    • preventing people from losing track of their pension pots through the consolidation of Defined Contribution individual deferred small pension pots. This will enable an individual's deferred small pots to be automatically brought together into one place to maximise income in retirement, and deliver value for every saver. This measure will also benefit pension schemes, which currently are required to manage a substantial number of loss-making pots, undermining their ability to invest in improving their offer for savers.
    • ensuring all members are saving into pension schemes delivering value through the Value for Money framework. Introducing a standardised test that trust based defined contribution schemes will need to meet to demonstrate they deliver value. This should result in consolidation in the pensions market by leaving a smaller number of well-performing, well governed schemes which will not only improve outcomes for savers but is likely to lead to more productive investment of funds. The Financial Conduct Authority will ensure the framework is applied to contract schemes and therefore consistently across the whole pension market.
    • requiring pension schemes to offer retirement products so people have a pension and not just a savings pot when they stop work by placing duties on trustees of occupational pension schemes to offer a retirement income solution or range of solutions, including default investment options, to their members. This will improve outcomes for savers and is likely to lead to more funds being invested for longer, giving the potential for investments in productive assets - boosting economic growth.
    • consolidating the Defined Benefit (DB) market through commercial Superfunds. This will offer greater protection for members in closed legacy DB schemes from the risk of losing part of their pension if their employer becomes insolveny.
    • reaffirming the Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) as a competent court, removing the need for pension schemes to apply to the courts to enforce TPO decisions in relation to the recovery of overpayments. Re-establishing the Ombudsman powers to those of a competent court will alleviate pressures and cost for courts, schemes, and members, ensuring recovery costs are kept to a minmum.
    • amending the Special Rules for End of Life (Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS)) extending the definition of 'terminal illness', allowing eligible members within the Pension Protection Fund and the Financial Assistance Scheme to receive a lump sum payment at an earlier stage.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to Great Britain.
• Planning and Infrastructure Bill ▼

  • The Bill will make improvements to the planning system at a local level, modernising planning committess and increasing local planning authorities' capacity to deliver an improved service.
  • The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will accelerate housebuilding and infrastructure delivery by:
    • streamlining the delivery process for critical infrastructure including accelerating upgrades to the national grid and boosting renewable energy, which will benefit local communities, unlock delivery of our 2030 clean power mission and net zero obligations, and secure domestic energy security. We will simplify the consenting process for major infrastructure projects and enable relevant, new and improved National Policy Statements to come forward, establishing a review process that provides the opportunity for them to be updated every five years, giving increased certainty to developers and communities.
    • further reforming compulsory purchase compensation rules to ensure that compensation paid to landowners is fair but not excessive where important social and physical infrastructure and affordable housing are being delivered. The reforms will help unlock more sites for development, enabling more effective land assembly, and in doing so speeding up housebuilding and delivering more affordable housing, supporting the public interest.
    • improving local planning decision making by modernising planning committees.
    • increasing local planning authorities' capacity, to improve performance and decision making, providing a more predictable service to developers and investors.
    • using development to fund nature recovery where currently both are stalled, unlocking a win-win outcome for the economy and for nature, because we know we can do better than the status quo. Our commitment to the environment is unwavering, which is why the Government will work with nature delivery organisations, stakeholders and the sector over the summer to determine the best way forward. We will only act in legislation where we can confirm to Parliament that the steps we are taking will deliver positive environmental outcomes. Where we can demonstrate this, the Bill will deliver any necessary changes.
  • The majority of the Bill is expected to extend and apply to England and Wales. Some measures may also extend and apply to Scotland.
• Employment Rights Bill ▼

  • The Government is committed to delivering its New Deal for Working People in full. The Bill will deliver on policies as set out in the Plan to Make Work Pay that require primary legislation to implement. The Plan includes commitments to the following:
    • banning exploitative zero-hour contracts, ensuring workers have a right to a contract that reflects the number of hours they regular work and that all workers get reasonable notice of any changes in shift with proportionate compensation for any shifts cancelled or curtailed. This will end 'one sided' flexibility, ensuring all jobs provide a baseline level of security and predictability.
    • ending the scourges of 'Fire and Rehire' and 'Fire and Replace' by reforming the law to provide effective remedies and replacing the previous Government's inadequate statutory code.
    • making parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal available from day 1 on the job for all workers. We will continue to ensure employers can operate probationary periods to assess new hires.
    • strengthening Statutory Sick Pay by removing the lower earning limit to make it available to all workers as well as the waiting period.
    • making flexible working the default from day-one for all workers, with employers required to accommodate this as far as is reasonable, to reflect the modern workplace.
    • strengthening protections for new mothers by making it unlawful to dismiss a woman who has had a baby for six months after her return to work, except in specific circumstances.
    • establishing a new Single Enforcement Body, also known as a Fair Work Agency, to strengthen enforcement of workplace rights.
    • establishing a Fair Pay Agreement in the adult social care sector and, following review, assess how and to what extent such agreements could benefit other sectors.
    • reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, to establish national terms and conditions, career progression routes, and fair pay rates.
    • updating trade union legislation so it is fit for a modern economy, removing unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity - including the previous Government's approach to minimum service levels - and ensuring industrial relations are based around good faith negotiation and bargaining.
    • simplifying the process of statutory recognition and introduce a regulated route to ensure workers and union members have a reasonable right to access a union with workplaces.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to Great Britain.
• English Devolution Bill ▼

  • The English Devolution Bill will establish a new frameowkr for English devolution, moving power our of Westminster and back to those who know their areas best. It will give local leaders the tools they need to drive growth by:
    • putting a more ambitious standardised devolution framework into legislation to give local leaders greater powers over the levers of local growth. This will include enhanced powers over strategic planning, local transport networks, skills, and employment support, enabling them to create jobs and improve living standards. We will also introduce new powers and duties for local leaders to produce Local Growth Plans.
    • making devolution the default setting, meaning places will be granted powers without the need to negotiate agreements where they meet the governance conditions. Local leaders will be able to formally request additional powers according to the framework and the Government will be required to consider the request and either devolve them or publicly explain their reasons for not doing so.
    • improving and unblocking local decision making through more effective governance arrangements, ensuring mayors and Combined Authorities can get on and deliver for their areas.
    • empowering local communities with a strong new 'right to buy' for valued community assets, such as empty shops, pubs and community spaces. This will help to revamp high streets and end the blight of empty promises.
  • The majority of the measures in the Bill will extend to England and Wales and apply to England.
• Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill ▼

  • Introduced in the House of Commons on 18 July 2024.
  • Stage: Committee of the whole House (3 September 2024); Report Stage (3 September 2024); 3rd Reading (3 September 2024)
  • This Bill is an early step towards delivering our broader programme of reform, including through our Railways Bill. It will amend existing railways legislation so that appointed a public-sector operator is the default position rather than merely a last resort. We are introducing this piece of legislation swiftly to ensure we are able to act decisively and bring the first contracts back into public ownership as soon as possible once it is in place.
  • Transferring operations to the public sector will save the taxpayer millions of pounds that are currently paid out in fees to private-sector operators each year. Train operations will transfer to a public-sector operator as existing contracts expire or operators fail to meet their commitments, avoiding the need to pay compensation to the current operators.
  • We are reforming the railways so that they serve the interests of all users and the taxpayer, rather than focusing on maximising financial returns to private-sector operators. Rail reform will end years of fragmentation and waste, and deliver more effectively for the customer.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to Great Britain.

  Bill Research
• Better Buses Bill ▼

  • A modern transport network is vital to kickstarting economic growth. Buses are the lifeblood of our communities, connecting us to opportunities, providing access to services, improving air quality and tackling climate change. However, it is widely accepted that the current system is not working for passengers.
  • The Better Buses Bill will deliver improved services up and down the country, and support local leaders to create the transport networks that are right for their communities.
  • The Bill will put power over services back in the hands of the communities that depend on them, and will provide the powers necessary to deliver the Government's 5-point plan to build better bus networks across England:
    • allowing every community to take back control of their buses by removing barriers that currently limit bus franchising powers only to metro mayors.
    • accelerating the bus franchising process by supporting local leaders to deliver better buses, faster.
    • supporting public ownership by removing the ban on publicly owned bus companies and building on the success of award-winning public bus services still in operation.
    • stepping in to safeguard local bus networks by providing more accountability over bus operators and ensuring standards are raised wherever you live across the country.
    • empowering local transport authorities and reforming funding by giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding and allowing them to plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities.
  • The Bill is expected to extend to England and Wales, and apply to England.
• Railways Bill ▼

  • The Government will put our rail system back on track to deliver for passengers and support our growth mission, with clear strategic direction and proper integration and coordination. We will ensure our railways deliver against six key objectives: reliable, affordable, efficient, quality, accessible and safe travel. This legislation will deliver the changes we need in the following ways:
    • public ownership: The initial Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill will put passengers back at the heart of rail services by enabling us to bring contracts into public ownership as they come to an end or if operators fail to meet their commitments. This Bill will make further legislative changes to comprehensively reform our rail sector - bringing track and train back together and planning services on a whole-system basis, to better deliver for passengers and freight customers, and to unlock growth.
    • greater leadership: Bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body, Great British Railways (GBR). This new body will act as a "directing mind", with a relentless focus on delivering for passengers and freight customers.
    • delivery for passengers: We will put passengers back at the heart of the railways and introduce new measures to protect their interests. This will include paving the way for a powerful new passenger watchdog, the Passenger Standards Authority, to independently monitor standards and champion improvement in service performance against a range of measures.
    • simpler tickets: GBR will reform the ticketing system, to make it simpler for passengers, drive innovation across the network, replace the current ticket types and maximise passenger growth. GBR will also ensure that ticketing innovations like automatic compensation, digital pay-as-you-go and digital season ticketing are rolled out across the whole network.
    • support for freight operators: There will be a statutory duty on GBR to promote the use of rail freight, alongside an overall growth target set by the Secretary of State. The Government will include safeguards to ensure that freight operators continue to receive fair access to the network.
    • role of open access: Open access has a proven track record in driving competition and better passenger outcomes, and wherever there is a case that open access operators can add value and capacity to the network, as assessed by the Office for Road and Rail, they will be able to.
  • While primary legislation is required to initiate the change of public ownership and establish GBR, this Government will begin delivering improvements for passengers and freight users straight away. This includes setting up a "shadow GBR" to unite key industry bodies in collaboration ahead of the formal establishment of GBR and establishing a new approach to industrial relations.
  • The Bill will extend and apply GB-wide.
• Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill ▼

  • Introduced in the House of Lords on 18 July 2024.
  • Stage: 2nd Reading (30 July 2024)
  • The 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 and achieving its sale in whole or in part.
  • The Bill is designed in particular to respond more effectively to small bank failures where resolution is judged to be in the public interest by:
    • expanding the statutory function of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) - the body responsible for paying out depositors in a bank insolvency. The Bill will require the FSCS to provide funds to the Bank of England upon request, to be used where necessary to support the resolution of a failing bank.
    • allowing the FSCS to recover the funds provided by charging levies on the banking sector, similar to the current arrangements for funding depositor pay-outs in insolvency. However, following consultation the Government has decided that credit unions will not be in scope of this levy.
    • giving the Bank of England an express ability to require a bank in resolution to issue new shares, facilitating the use of FSCS funds to meet a failing bank's recapitalisation costs.
  • Taken together, these measures give the Bank of England a more flexible toolkit to respond to small bank failures in a way that promotes financial and economic stability and strengthens protections for public funds, whilst avoiding new upfront costs on the banking sector or additional costs for taxpayers.
  • This Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Arbitration Bill ▼

  • Introduced in the House of Lords on 18 July 2024.
  • Stage: 2nd Reading (30 July 2024)
  • This Bill will implement the recommendations made in a 2022 Law Commission review of Arbitration Law, with the key reforms being:
    • clarifying the law applicable to arbitration agreements that do not arise from investor-state agreements, providing that the law applicable will be those of the legal location chosen for arbitration unless parties expressly agree otherwise. This will ensure that, where arbitration is seated in England and Wales, or Northern Ireland, it will be fully supported by our arbitration law which is among the most supportive of arbitration globally.
    • codifying a duty on arbitrators to disclose circumstances that might give rise to justifiable doubts about their impartiality, in line with international best practice.
    • strengthening arbitrator immunity against liability for resignations and applications for removal, supporting arbitrators to make robust and impartial decisions without fear of being sued by a disappointed party.
    • empowering arbitrators to make awards on a summary basis on issues that have no real prospect of success, avoiding nuisance claims and making arbitrations more efficicent.
    • empowering courts to make orders in support of emergency arbitrators so they have the same routes to enforce their orders as other arbitrators.
    • revising the framework for challenges where the challenge alleges that the arbitral tribunal lacked jurisdisction.
  • This Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Product Safety and Metrology Bill ▼

  • This Bill will support growth, provide regulatory stability and deliver more protection for consumers by:
    • responding to new product risks and opportunities to enable the UK to keep pace with technological advances, such as AI, and address challenges, such as the fire risk associated with e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries. Without these powers, we will not be able to effectively regulate these high-risk products and protect consumers and workers.
    • identifying new and emerging business models in the supply chain, ensuring the responsibilities of those involved in the supply of products, such as online marketplaces, are clear, enabling Government to better protect consumers, so they can have confidence in the products they buy and whom they buy them from. Without these powers it will remain far too easy for unscrupulous overseas suppliers to place unsafe goods on the UK market through online marketplaces.
    • ensuring that the law can be updated to recognise new or updated EU product regulations, including the CE marking, where appropriate to prevent additional costs for businesses and provide regulatory stability. This legislation will also ensure the UK can end recognition of EU product regulations, where it is in the best interests of UK businesses and consumers.
    • enabling improvements to compliance and enforcement reflecting the challenges of modern, digital borders. This Bill will enable the Government and its regulators to tackle non-compliance, target interventions by allowing greater sharing of data between regulators and market surveillance authorities, and future-proof the nature and capacity of the Regulator, ensuring it can provide national leadership on product safety and metrology issues.
    • updating the legal metrology framework, which governs the accuracy of weights and measures for purchased goods. This plays a role in product legislation, giving customers and business confidence in what they are buying. This will allow for technological progress, including in support of net zero aims and infrastructure, for example enabling innovation whilst ensuring energy meters continue to be accurate in their readings.
  • As most product safety legislation falls within scope of the Windsor Framework, EU changes to product regulation only apply in Northern Ireland, resulting in divergence within the UK internal market as EU laws are updated. This Bill gives the Government specific powers to make changes to GB legislation to manage divergence and take a UK-wide approach, where it is in our interests to do so.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Digital Information and Smart Data Bill ▼

  • The Bill will harness the power of data for economic growth. We are giving a statutory footing to three innovative uses of data that people can choose to participate in and which will accelerate innovation, investment and productivity across the UK. This includes:
    • establishing Digital Verification Services, which make people's everyday lives easier through innovative and secure technology. These measures support the creation and adoption of secure and trusted digital identity products and services from certified providers to help with things like moving house, pre-employment checks, and buying age restricted goods and services.
    • developing a National Underground Asset Register, a new digital map that is revolutionising the way we install, maintain, operate and repair the pipes and cables buried beneath our feet. It gives planners and excavators standardised, secure, instant access to the data they need, when they need it, to carry out their work effectively and safely.
    • setting up Smart Data schemes, which are the secure sharing of a customer's data upon their request, with authorised third-party providers.
  • The Bill will improve people's lives and life chances. The Bill will enable more and better digital public services. By making changes to the Digital Economy Act we will help the Government share data about businesses that use public services. We will move to an electronic system for the registration of births and deaths. And we will apply information standards to IT suppliers in the health and social care system.
  • The Bill will help our scientists make better use of data for world-class research by reflecting the realities of modern interdisciplinary science research in our data laws. Scientists will be able to ask for broad consent for areas of scientific research, and allow legitimate researchers doing scientific research in commercial settings to make equal use of our data regime.
  • The Bill will ensure your data is well protected. We are modernising and strengthening the ICO. It will be transformed into a more modern regulatory structure, with a CEO, board and chair. And it will have new, stronger powers. This will be accompanied by targeted reforms to some data laws that will maintain high standards of protection but where there is currently a lack of clarity impeding the safe development and deployment of some technologies. We will also promote standards for digital identities around privacy, security and inclusion.
  • The Bill also establishes a Data Preservation Process that coroners (and procurators fiscal in Scotland) can initiate when they decide it is necessary and appropriate to support their investigations into a child's death. This will help coroners get access to online information they need when investigating a child's death.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill ▼

  • We are not reversing the decision to cancel the second Phase of HS2. Instead, we are repurposing the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill to provide powers to construct and operate rail projects which improve east to west connectivity across the north of England.
  • Using this Bill to enable delivery of key infrastructure ensures that we can deliver on our manifesto commitment to improve rail connectivity in the north of England at pace. The Bill includes powers for important rail infrastructure in Manchester and the surrounding area, including new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport.
  • Local leaders in the north of England have been vocal in calling for this Bill to support ambitions to address the productivity gap in the north of England by transforming rail connectivity between the region's economic centres through transformative infrastructure investment.
  • Carrying this Bill over demonstrates commitment to making progress on rail connectivity whilst we work with local leaders on an improved overall strategy.
  • The Bill will extend and apply GB-wide.
• Draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill ▼

  • Robust and rigorous scrutiny of large companies by auditors and greater transparency around their finances is essential to ensuring that investors, employees and consumers have an accurate picture of the health of the company, which in turn delivers a more secure economy.
  • The draft bill will replace the Financial Reporting Council with a new regulator - the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority - with the powers it needs to tackle bad financial reporting and to build that trust.
  • This statutory regulator will form a platform for other important changes:
    • a wider remit, through extending Public Interest Entity (PIE) status to the largest private companies and thus making sure the audits of those important businesses are high quality and giving early warnings of financial problems.
    • removing unnecessary rules on smaller Public Interest Entities, making life easier for important smaller businesses by cutting requirements that are disproportionate.
    • powers to investigate and sanction company directors for serious failures in relation to their financial reporting and audit responsibilities, so there are consequences for putting forward dodgy accounts.
    • a regime to oversee the audit market, protect against conflicts of interest at audit firms, and build resilience so quality audit is available to all companies that need it.
  • The draft Bill is expected to extend and apply UK-wide.

Great British Energy and Clean Energy Superpower

• Great British Energy Bill ▼

  • The Bill establishes Great British Energy which will:
    • develop, own and operate assets, investing in partnership with the private sector. It will have a capitalisation of £8.3 billion of new money over the Parliament. Through these investments, Great British Energy will take a stake for the British people in projects and supply chains which accelerate technologies of the future, reaping benefits at home in cheap clean power and securing Britain at the front of the global race for technology which has major global export potential.
    • facilitate, encourage and participate in the production, distribution, storage and supply of clean energy, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from energy produced from fossil fuels as well as measures for furthering the transition to clean energy and improving energy efficiency.
  • The Bill gives the Secretary of State the ability to provide Great British Energy with the financial backing needed for it to meet its aims and ambitions. The Secretary of State will be required to prepare a strategic priorities statement for Great British Energy, to ensure it focuses its efforts on Government priorities.
  • The Bill builds on the immediate work by the Energy Secretary to deliver the Government's mission to achieve clean energy by 2030, including scrapping the ban on onshore windfarms and appointing Chris Stark - the former chair of the Climate Change Committee - to lead the Mission Control for 2030.
  • The Bill wil extent and apply UK-wide. We will work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the scope of Great British Energy's functions and opportunities for Northern Ireland.
• The Crown Estate Bill ▼

  • The Crown Estate pays a critical role in maintaining and improving public infrastructure of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and generates a financial return for the Government worth over £3 billion in the last decade. This money helps fund vital public srevices.
  • One of The Crown Estate's most important roles is as the owner and steward of the seabed of England and Wales. In this role, The Crown Estate develops, prepares and leases out plots of seabed to offshore wind and other developers (for example, those looking to build carbon capture infrastructure). The pace at which it does this determines how quickly we can meet our Clean Energy Superpower mission.
  • The Crown Estate Bill will modernise The Crown Estate so that it can manage our public assets more effectively, by:
    • granting The Crown Estate the power to borrow. Currently The Crown Estate cannot use its large cash reserves to invest because it needs these to hold these against the prospect of future financial losses. Enabling it to borrow from the Exchequer will free up these reserves to be invested in new projects. This is particularly critical for accelerating the pace of our offshore wind deployment.
    • widening The Crown Estate's existing investment powers, to enable investment in activies which complement its strategy and support wider government policy objectives, such as digital technologies to support offshore energy development and port infrastructure.
    • changing the source of funding for expenses and salaries of the Commissioners from votes to the return made by The Crown Estate. This will provide legislative simplification, saving parliamentary time by removing the need for these to be done through the Parliamentary Supply Estimates Process.
    • increasing the maximum number of Commissioners on The Crown Estate Board from 8 to 12 - bringing The Crown Estate in line with modern corporate governance best practice.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel (Revenue Support Mechanism) Bill ▼

  • The Government is committed to decarbonising the aviation sector and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing the use of SAF, which significantly reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, is a key means by which to support this goal. It is a key measure to decarbonise the aviation sector and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The Bill introduces a revenue certainty mechanism for SAF producers who are looking to invest in new plants in the UK. This builds on the SAF mandate, which will create demand for SAF by setting targets on fuel suppliers to use a proportion of SAF.
  • This new sector will create jobs and growth opportunities in the UK, help secure a supply of SAF for UK airlines, and enhance energy security.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Water (Special Measures) Bill ▼

  • Water companies are failing to deliver for their customers and the environment, and the public have, rightly, had enough. The Government will introduce a new Bill to put water companies under tough special measures to strengthen regulation as a first step to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will:
    • strengthen regulation to ensure water bosses face personal criminal liability for lawbreaking.
    • give the water regulator new powers to ban the payment of bonuses if environmental standards are not met.
    • boost accountability for water executives through a new 'code of conduct' for water companies, so customers can summon board members and hold executives to account.
    • introduce new powers to bring automatic and severe fines.
    • require water companies to install real-time monitors at every sewage outlet with data independently scrutinised by the water regulators.
  • These measures will strengthen the enforcement regime and make clear that the Government will not tolerate poor performance across the water sector. The Government will outline further legislation to fundamentally transform and reset our water industry and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.
  • The majority of the measures in the Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales.

Secure Borders, Cracking Down on Anti Social Behaviour and Take Back Our Streets

• Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill ▼

  • The Bill will enable stronger borders and a properly controlled and managed asylum system by:
    • giving the new Border Security Command and wider law enforcement the tools and powers they need to crack down on criminal gangs by building on the success of robust powers to counter terrorism and include stronger powers for law enforcement officers to investigate involvement in organised immigration crime for example in stopping and searching at the border.
    • providing a strong deterrent and penalty for criminals involved in organised immigration crime (OIC), ensuring there are stronger penalties in place against a range of OIC and border criminality, including preparatory offences such as enabling the advertising the services of a migrant smuggling group and precursor offences such as relating to the supply of materials needed to facilitate organised crime gangs.
    • fixing the borken asylum system, making it more efficient and effective to ensure the rules are properly enforced by ending hotel use through clearing the asylum backlog, ensuring fast-track returns for individuals coming from safe countries and ending the failed and incredibly costly Migration and Economic Development Partnership to redirect money into the Border Security Command.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Crime and Policing Bill ▼

  • The Bill will include measures to:
    • rebuild neighbourhood policing. Bring forward arrangements to get neighbourhood police and Police Community Support Officers back on the beat in local communities.
    • deliver higher policing standards. Expand the powers of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to intervene in failing police forces, introduce higher mandatory national vetting standards across policing, and establish new mandatory arrangements to deliver efficiency savings through nationwide standards for procurement, shared services and specialist functions.
    • crackdown on anti social behaviour. Introduce new Respect Orders to tackle persistent adult offenders, fast-track Public Spaces Protection Orders to make it quicker and easier to clamp down on rapid escalations in street drinking, and new powers to tackle the dangerous and anti social use of off-road bikes. Create a duty for local partners to co-operate to tackle anti social behaviour, with an anti social behaviour lead in every local authority area.
    • tackle retail crime. Create a new specific offence of assaulting a shopworker and introduce stronger measures to tackle low level shoplifting.
    • tackle knife crime. Get dangerous knives and other weapons off our streets by banning ninja swords and other lethal blades, and introducing strict sanctions on senior executives of online companies who fail to operate within the law. Prevent young people being drawn into crime and criminal gangs by strengthening the law to tackle those who exploit children for criminal purposes, and create arrangements for local Young Futures prevention partnerships to bring together services to support at-risk teenagers.
    • provide a stronger, specialist response to violence against women and girls. Ensure the police have the capability to respond robustly to domestic abuse, rape and other sexual offences, and strengthen the law to improve the police response to spiking.
  • Through this Bill and other measures, we will be rebuilding neighbourhood policing. Bring forward arrangements to get neighbourhood police and Police Community Support Officers back on the beat in local communities.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales.
• Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill ▼

  • The 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 occuring. The measures required vary according to the capacity of the premises or event.
    • smaller premises in the 'standard tier' will be required to notify the regulator of their premises and put in place reasonably practicable procedural measures to keep the public safe. Some measures could be as simple as educating staff on locking doors and evacuation procedures.
    • the requirements for organisations at these smaller premises will be focused on simple, low-cost activities surrounding policies and procedures.
    • those responsible for larger 'enhanced tier' premises and certain public events will be required to put in place counter terrorism measures that could be expected to reduce, so far as reasonably practicable, both the risk from an attack occuring at the premises or event as well as the risk of physical harm being caused if an attack was to occur.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill ▼

  • This Bill will make good on our commitment to deliver a justice system that gives victims the justice system they deserve and ensure victims of crime and anti social behaviour get the support they deserve.
  • The Bill will include measures that:
    • ensure victims of crime and antisocial behaviour get the support they deserve.
    • strengthen powers for the Victims' Commissioner to ensure that they are empowered to hold the system to account for the needs of victims not being met.
    • require offenders to attend their sentencing hearings so that victims and bereaved family members of deceased victims see criminals face the consequences of their actions.
    • protect the public from sex offenders, restricting parental responsibility for child sex offenders and implementing restrictions on sex offenders changing their names.
    • reduce delays in the courts system by allowing Associate Prosecutors to work on appropriate cases.
  • In addition to the Bill, we will deliver on our manifesto commitment to fast-track rape cases, with specialist courts at every Crown Court.
  • The territorial extent and application is to be confirmed, but the Bill is expected to extend and apply to England and Wales.

Break Down the Barriers to Opportunity

• Children's Wellbeing Bill ▼

  • The Children's Wellbeing Bill will ensure our education and social care systems transform life chances for millions of children and young people in England.
  • The Bill will remove barriers to opportunity for children and their families by:
    • keeping children safe, happy and rooted in their communities and schools by strengthening multi-agency child protection and safeguarding arrangements.
    • requiring free breakfast clubs in every primary school to ensure that every child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared for the school day and can achieve their full potential.
    • introducing legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kits that a school can require to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities.
  • The Bill will improve the education system and make it more consistent and safer for every child by:
    • creating a duty on local authorities to have and maintain Children Not In School registers, and provide support to home-educating parents. These measures will ensure fewer children slip under the radar when they are not in school and more children reach their full potential through suitable education.
    • making changes to the legislation about regulating and inspecting independent schools, including by providing Ofsted stronger powers to investigate the offence of operating an unregistered independent school. These measures will help keep children safe and ensure they are receiving a suitable education.
    • making changes to enable serious teacher misconduct to be investigated, regardless of when the misconduct occurred, the setting the teacher is employed in, and how the misconduct is uncovered. This will protect and safeguard more children.
    • requiring all schools to cooperate with the local authority on school admissions, SEND inclusion, and place planning, by giving local authorities greater powers to help them deliver their functions on school admissions and ensure admissions decisions account for the needs for communities.
    • ensuring greater consistency between academies and maintained schools by requiring all schools to teach the national curriculum, giving every child a broad and rounded education. This measure will be commenced after the review of the curriculum and assessment is concluded and is reflected in Programmes of Study. The review will set the foundations to equip every child with the essential knowledge and skills for the future.
    • recognising the status of the teaching profession and the difference that teaching makes to a child's education by ensuring any new teacher entering the classroom has, or is working towards, Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This will be accompanied by recognising the essential role of support staff in schools by giving them a national voice in the setting of their pay and conditions.
    • bringing multi-academy trusts into the inspection system, to make the system fairer and more transparent, and enable direct intervention when schools and trusts are not performing to the highest standards.
  • The territorial extent and application is to be confirmed but the Bill is expected to extend to England and Wales and apply to England.
• Skills England Bill ▼

  • The Bill will transfer functions from IfATE to Skulls England, which will sit at the heart of the system that provides learners with the skills required to thrive in life, businesses with the trained workforce they need to succeed, and local areas with access to the right skills to spur economic growth. Skills provision ranges from the essential skills people need to participate in the labour market, to the highly technical skills required to drive productivity and economic growth.
  • Skills England will support economic growth by greater coherence to the assessment of skills needs and training landscape; ensuring training programmes are well designed and delivered to meet these needs; and that regional and national skills systems are providing the skilled workforce needed to enable businesses to thrive and to contribute to the Industrial Strategy at the heart of our growth mission.
  • Skills England will convene employers, unions, education and training providers, and experts with national government to:
    • develop a single picture of national and local skills needs. Skills England will work with industry, the Migration Advisory Committee, unions and the Industrial Strategy Council to build and maintain a comprehensive assessment of current and future skills needs. This will also inform the Department for Education's policy priorities.
    • identify the training for which the Growth and Skills Levy will be accessible - this includes consulting on (and maintaining a list of) levy-eligible training to ensure value for money, and that the mix of government-funded training available to learners and employers aligns with skills needed.
    • ensure that the national and regional skills systems are meeting skills needs and are aligned, including using local and regional vacancy data as part of a robust evidence base. Skills England will convene MCAs and other key stakeholders to identify system issues and provide advice to Government, leading to a more coherent system.
  • To deliver this role, it is expected that Skills England will need to take on several of the functions the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.
  • The Bill will extend to England and Wales and apply to England.
• Renters' Rights Bill ▼

  • The private rented sector must work for all those who depend upon it for a secure home. A functioning sector can provide flexibility for those who want it, and a secure stepping stone for aspiring homeowners.
  • Too many renters are being exploited by a minority of unscrupulous landlords, unable to challenge bad practices because they could be evicted at any moment. This is bad for economic growth and productivity, poor for health, and a drain on aspiration.
  • The Renters' Rights Bill will overhaul the private rented sector, with this Government determined to take action where the previous Government failed, transforming rights for the 11 million private tenants in England by:
    • abolishing Section 21 'no fault evictions', removing the threat of arbitrary evictions and increasing tenant security and stability. New clear and expanded possession grounds will be introduced so landlords can reclaim their properties when they need to.
    • strengthening tenants' rights and protections, for example we will empower tenants to challenge rent increases designed to force them out by the backdoor and introduce new laws to end the practice of rental bidding wars by landlords and letting agents.
    • giving tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. Landlords will be able to request insurance to cover potential damage from pets if needed.
    • applying a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector to ensure homes are safe, secure and hazard free - tackling the blight of poor-quality homes.
    • applying 'Awaab's Law' to the sector, setting clear legal expectations about the timeframes within which landlords in the private rented sector must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards.
    • creating a digital private rented sector database to bring together key information for landlords, tenants, and councils. Tenants will be able to access information to inform choices when entering new tenancies. Landlords will be able to quickly understand their obligations and demonstrate compliance, providing certainty for tenants and landlords alike. Councils will be able to use the database to target enforcement where it is needed most.
    • supporting quicker, cheaper resolution when there are disputes - preventing them escalating to costly court proceedings - with a new ombudsman service for the private rented sector that will provide fair, impartial and binding resolution, to both landlords and tenants and reducing the need to go to court.
    • making it illegal for landlords to discriminate againt tenants in receipt of benefits or with children when choosing to let their property - so no family is discriminated against and denied a home when they need it.
    • strengthening local councils' enforcement powers. New investigatory powers will make it easier for councils to identify and fine unscrupulous landlords and drive bad actors out of the sector.
  • The majority of the Bill will extend to England and Wales and apply to England.
• Football Governance Bill ▼

  • Despite the phenomenal global success of English football in recent years, the game has fundamental governance problems that have led to excessive and reckless risk-taking at too many clubs. Ineffective regulation poses very real dangers to our national game, threatening the stability of the football pyramid and impacting fans across the country. That is why the Government is introducing legislation to ensure that English football is sustainable and benefits its fans and communities by:
    • establishing a new independent regulator to address financial sustainability and ensure fans' voices are heard. The regulator would operate a licensing system, where regulated clubs would require a licence to operate as professional football clubs. The new regulator would be tasked with ensuring that individual clubs are financially sound; the overall English football system is more financially resilient; and safeguarding the heritage of individual clubs.
    • introducing financial regulation to improve the financial resilience of clubs across the football pyramid. Clubs will be required to demonstrate sound basic financial practices; have appropriate financial resources to enable the club to meet cash flows, including in the event of a financial shock; and protect the core assets and value of the club - such as the stadium. This will reduce the risk of clubs facing financial failure, which at its most extreme can lead to clubs ceasing to exist.
    creating a new, strengthened owners' and directors' test to make sure a club's custodians are suitable and protect fans from irresponsible owners. This follows too many cases of clubs being put at risk of administration or liquidation due to mismanagement by their owners and directors. Some of these acquired clubs without having adequate finances or were involved in criminality. Some directors made crucial financial decisions without holding suitable professional qualifications.
    • setting a minmum standard of fan engagement and requiring clubs to get fan approval to changes to the badge and home shirt colours, as well as placing the strong existing FA protections for club names on a statutory footing. This comes after fans at clubs like Cardiff City and Hull City had to battle to bring back, or keep, their club's colours and badge and name.
    • requiring clubs to seek the regulator's approval for a stadium sale or relocation. The stadium a club plays in not only has significant value to fans but can also be a club's most valuable asset, and the recent administration at Derby County highlighted the issue caused by the decision to sell the club's stadium.
    • preventing clubs from joining closed-shop, breakaway or unlicensed leagues, such as the European Super League. The legislation would set out a number of duties that clubs would need to comply with in order to obtain and keep their licence, including not playing in competitions prohibited by the regulator, where they are not based on merit, open competition or if they harm the heritage of English football.
    • ensuring fair financial distributions between leagues. When authorities cannot agree appropriate financial flows, and the sustainability of football is at risk, giving the regulator the backstop power to ensure a fair financial flow.
    • establishing a 'Football Club Corporate Governance Code'. Clubs would be required to report annually on corporate governance, setting out how they apply the principles of the Code and why this is suitable for their circumstances. The code would be developed in consultation with industry and encourage clubs to be better run.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales.
• Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill ▼

  • The Government will take steps to bring the feudal system of leasehold to an end and reinvigorate commonhold by:
    • enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations to bolster leaseholders' fundamental rights to extend their lease and buy their freehold (enfranchisement), and take over the freeholders building management functions (Right to Manage).
    • reinvigorating commonhold by modernising the legal framework. We will also restrict the sale of new leasehold flats. The Government will consult on the best way to achieve this, so that generations to come will benefit from absolute homeownership.
    • tackling existing ground rents by regulating ground rents for existing leaseholders so they no longer face unregulated and unaffordable costs.
    • bringing the injustice of 'fleecehold' private estates and unfair costs to an end - the Government will consult on the best way to achieve this and implement new protections for homeowners on private estates in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.
    • ending the injustice of forfeiture so that leaseholders are protected against losing savings they have in their home for potentially small unpaid debts.
  • In addition, the Government will implement the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 so that leaseholders can benefit from more rights, power and protections over their homes.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales.
• Draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill ▼

  • The draft Bill will tackle inequality for ethnic minority and disabled people by:
    • enshrining in law the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities and disabled people, making it much easier for them to bring unequal pay claims. Claimants currently face significant barriers when bringing pay discrimination claims on the grounds of ethnicity or disability. Enshrining in law the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities as well as disabled people will make it easier for them to bring forward equal pay claims where they have been underpaid.
    • introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay reporting for larger employers (those with 250+ employees) to help close the ethnicity and disability pay gaps. Surfacing pay gaps will enable companies to constructively consider why they exist and how to tackle them.
  • The draft Bill is likely to extend and apply to Great Britain, mirroring measures in the Equality Act 2010 relating to equal pay and gender pay reporting.
• Draft Conversion Practices Bill ▼

  • The draft Conversion Practices Bill will propose new offences to target acts of conversion practices that are not captured by existing legislation. The Government wants to ensure that the criminal law offers protection from these abusive practices, while also preserving the freedom for people, and those supporting them, to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity. This will mean those providing medical care and support are in no way impacted by this Bill.
  • We are clear that any ban must not cover legitimate psychological support, treatment, or non-directive counselling. It must also respect the important role that teachers, religious leaders, parents and carers can have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • This is a government of change, which will give respect and dignity to everyone. That is why the ban will be fully trans-inclusive. We are committed to listening to all viewpoints and concerns with respect.
  • This Government is getting on with delivering a conversion practices ban. There is genuine cross party and cross society consensus to see these practices banned. But to ensure we have a ban that works and achieves that for the long term, we need to work closely with everyone and bring everyone with us as we do so - because no one thinks the status quo is acceptable.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales.

Health

• Tobacco and Vapes Bill ▼

  • Sitting alongside wider support across the health service to support smokers to quit, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be a landmark step in creating a smoke-free UK. It will:
    • introduce a progressive smoking ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country (including herbal smoking products and cigarette papers). Children born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to legally be sold cigarettes, preventing the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine. The majority of smokers start in their youth (4 in 5 start before the age of 20) and are then addicted for life.
    • stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products (such as nicotine pouches) from being deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children meaning they are only available as a tool to help smokers quit. The Bill will provide Ministers with powers to regulate the flavours, packaging, and display of vapes and other nicotine products. These steps will help stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.
    • strengthen enforcement activity, allowing Trading Standards to take swifter action to enforce the law and closing loopholes. It will prevent underage sales of tobacco and vapes by providing enforcement authorities in England and Wales with the power to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for the underage sale of tobacco and vaping products.
  • The Bill will extend UK-wide, although the application of the measures will vary across the UK.
• Mental Health Bill ▼

  • The Mental Health Bill takes forward the vast majority of Professor Sir Simon Wessley's 2017 recommendations for legislative reform and includes a wide range of changes to shift the balance of power from the system to the patient, putting the service users at the centre of decisions about their own care.
  • The Mental Health Bill will amend the Mental Health Act 1983 to give people detained greater choice and autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment by:
    • ensuring that detention and treatment under the Mental Health Act takes place only when necessary, by revising the detention criteria to ensure that people can only be detained if they pose a risk of serious harm either to themselves or to others, and where there is a reasonable prospect that treatment would have a therapeutic benefit. It will also revise and shorten the period that a patient may be kept in detention for treatment and provide faster, more frequent reviews and appeals of both detentions and treatment.
    • further limiting the extent to which people with a learning disability and/or autistic people can be detained and treated under the Mental Health Act and supporting such individuals to live fulfilling lives in their community. It will do this by introducing duties on commissioners to improve understanding of the risk of crisis amongst people with a learning disability and/or autistic people in their local area and also ensure an adequate supply of community services to prevent inappropriate detentions.
    • strengthening the voice of patients by adding statutory weight to patients' rights to be involved with planning for their care, and to make choices and refusals regarding the treatment they receive.
    • strengthening and improving the statutory roles which protect and support those who are detained by introducing a new statutory role - the nominated person - who is chosen by the patient, to replace the nearest relative and extend access to Independent Mental Health Advocates to informal patients and introduce an opt-out system for formal patients.
    • removing police stations and prisons as places of safety under the Mental Health Act to ensure people experiencing a mental health crisis or with severe mental health needs as supported in the most appropriate setting.
    • supporting offenders with severe mental health problems to access the care they need as quickly and early as possible, and improve the management of those patients subject to a restriction order (for the purposes of public protection).
  • These reforms will take a number of years to implement, as we will need to recruit and train more clinical and judicial staff. We plan to introduce these reforms in phases as resources allow, and we will not commence new powers unless we have sufficient staff in place that means it is safe to do so.
  • The Bill will extend and apply to England and Wales.

National Security and Serving the Country

• Hillsborough Bill ▼

  • The Bill will be the catalyst for a changed culture in the public sector by:
    • improving transparency and accountability where failure in the provision and delivery of public services is the subject of public investigation and scrutiny.
    • reducing the culture of defensiveness in the public sector.
    • helping ensure that the lack of candour uncovered in recent reports is not repeated, such as in the case of the Hillsborough and Infected Blood Inquiries.
  • Alongside this legislation, we will take action to improve assistance for bereaved persons and core participants at inquests and public inquiries, to ensure families are able to fully participate. This includes delivering the Government's manifesto commitment to provide legal aid for victims of disasters or state-related death.
  • The territorial extent and application is to be determined.
• Armed Forces Commissioner Bill ▼

  • Over the last decade, we have seen morale amongst our armed forces personnel hit record lows and a crisis in recruitment and retention. We need to renew the contract with those who dedicate their lives to serve, and their families, and ensure their needs are represented by a strong, independent voice. That's why, in legislation, we are establishing an Armed Forces Commissioner.
  • The Bill will create the Commissioner and give them the necessary powers to champion our Armed Forces and improve service life. The Commissioner will:
    • be a new, direct and independent contact point for serving personnel and their families, outside their chain of command, to raise issues which impact service life.
    • strengthen parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel, and report directly on an annual basis to ensure proper accountability.
    • be fully empowered to investigate and highlight issues, with access to information and MoD sites as appropriate. This could include inspecting accommodation, work-life balance, faulty kit, childcare arrangements and other issues impacting service and family life.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Northern Ireland Legacy Legislation ▼

  • We will work with all parties and communities in Northern Ireland to put in place a framework to deal with the legacy of the past.
  • We cannot repeal the Act in its entirety without anything to replace it. The Northern Ireland High Court has found the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery to be independent and capable of conducting human rights compliant investigations, but the Government will explore options to strengthen its independence.
  • We will repeal the conditional immunity scheme, which has been found by the Northern Ireland High Court to be incompatible with the UK's obligations under the ECHR. Following consultation with all parties, we will reverse the policy prohibiting victims and families from bringing civil claims. And we wil set out steps to allow the Troubles-era inquests that were prematurely halted to resume.
  • This will be the first step towards delivering the Government's manifesto commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. Further legislation will follow after consultation with the Northern Ireland political parties, the Irish Government and all communities in Northern Ireland.
  • The territorial extent of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 is UK-wide and mostly applies in Northern Ireland.
• House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill ▼

  • The Bill will mean that hereditary peers will no longer be able to sit and vote in the House of Lords:
    • in the 21st century, there should not be almost 100 places reserved for individuals who were born into certain families, nor should there be seats effectively reserved only for men.
    • reform is now long overdue and essential. There has been no progress on this issue since the House of Lords Act 1999. The 1999 Act was only intended to create interim arrangements to retain some hereditary peers for a short period by exception. 25 years later, they form part of the status quo more by accident than by design.
  • While the composition of the rest of the House can evolve as appointments are made and Members retire, the party balance of hereditary peers remains static, providing an advantage to one party regardless of the wider context.
  • This Bill takes us a step closer to a House of Lords that is fit for the 21st Century.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Cyber Security and Resilience Bill ▼

  • The Bill will strengthen our defences and ensure that more essential digital services than ever before are protected, for example by expanding the remit of the existing regulation, putting regulators on a stronger footing, and increasing reporting requirements to build a better picture in government of cyber threats.
  • The existing UK regulations reflect law inherited from the EU and are the UK's only cross-sector cyber security legislation. They have now been superseded in the EU and require urgent update in the UK to ensure that our infrastructure and economy is not comparably more vulnerable.
  • The Bill will make crucial updates to the legacy regulatory framework by:
    • expanding the remit of the regulation to protect more digital services and supply chains. These are an increasingly attractive threat vector for attackers. This Bill will fill an immediate gap in our defences and prevent similar attacks experienced by critical public services in the UK, such as the recent ransomware attack impacting London hospitals.
    • putting regulators on a strong footing to ensure essential cyber safety measures are being implemented. This would include potential cost recovery mechanisms to provide resources to regulators and providing powers to proactively investigate potential vulnerabilities.
    • mandating increased incident reporting to give government better data on cyber attacks, including where a company has been held to ransom - this will improve our understanding of the threats and alerts us to potential attacks by expanding the type and nature of incidents that regulated entities must report.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill ▼

  • Introduced in the House of Commons on 18 July 2024.
  • Stage: 2nd Reading (29 July 2024)
  • While both the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) operate in the UK and internationally, neither are formally recognised as international organisations. This creates risks to their ongoing operation in the UK. The Bill will therefore:
    • change the status of the CPA and ICRC. enabling both organisations to be treated in a manner comparable to an international organisation of which the United Kingdom, or His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, is a member. Such treatment includes the conferral of the legal capacities of a body corporate; the provision of privileges and immunities commensurate with its funcional needs in respect of the organisations and limited staff; and the application of relevent statutory provisions relating to international organisations.
    • enable specific privileges and immunities to be conferred on the CPA and ICRC. These will be limited to the privileges and immunities determined on the basis of functional need for each organisation. The actual suite of privileges and immunities to be accorded, including relevent exceptions and limitations, will be specified in an Order in Council following the passage of this Bill.
    • ensure that confidential information provided by the ICRC can remain confidential. The Bill will allow for certain confidential information that is held by the UK Government and that was obtained by the ICRC to be exempt from legal disclosure requirements. This exemption applies to any disclosure requirement imposed by an order of a court or tribunal in proceedings (except criminal proceedings) or a statutory provision or other rule of law. This reflects the ICRC's standard working method of confidentiality designed to protect its staff and operations in active conflict zones. This will enable ICRC to engage in bilateral dialogue with the UK knowing the information shared will be treated confidentially and supports the Committee's ability to have confidential dialogue with conflict parties, maintain its humanitarian access and protect the security of its staff.
  • The Bill will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension) Bill ▼

  • The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, and the Bishops of London, Durham, and Winchester are automatically given seats in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual. This Bill will ensure that, whenever a vacancy arises among the 21 other bishops in the House of Lords, the position will continue to be filled by a female diocesan bishop if one is available.
  • These arrangements have been in place since May 2015 as a result of the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015. Prior to this, diocesan bishops filled the 21 seats in order of their length of service as a diocesan bishop.
  • Six female bishops have been appointed to the House of Lords under the provisions of the 2015 Act, five of whom currently sit in the House. This is welcome progress but more time is required to ensure significant female representation among the Lords Spiritual.
  • However, the 2015 Act expires in May 2025, so it is right to extend it for a further period to support this goal in agreement with the Church of England.
  • Without this legislation, the position would return to the status quo ante whereby bishops become members in the House of Lords according to their time in office; this would result in it taking longer for more female bishops to enter the House of Lords.
  • The Bil will extend and apply UK-wide.
• Holocaust Memorial Bill ▼

  • Introduced in the House of Commons on 23 February 2023. Bill reintroduced 18 July 2024.
  • Stage: Lords Examiners (Date to be announced)
  • The Holocaust Memorial Bill enables the Government to deliver on the longstanding commitment to build the planned Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. Located next to the Houses of Parliament, the Memorial will serve as a powerful reminder to the whole nation of the Holcoaust and its victims.
  • The Holocaust Memorial Bill:
    • authorises expenditure on the construction, maintenance and operation of the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
    • disapplies the relevant sections of the London County Council (Improvements) Act 1900, ensuring that this legislation is no longer an obstacle preventing the building of a memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens.
  • This Memorial will rightly sit at the heart of our democracy, next to Parliament, and will act as an inspiration to the whole country for generations to come.
  • The Bill will extend to England and Wales and apply to England.