Boris Johnson will get a chance to give his government a mini-restart when his legislative agenda for next year is set out at the state opening of parliament in the Queen’s speech.
Governments are always trying to theme the Queen’s speech – this year will be economic growth, easing the burden on families and equalization – but all Queen speeches are usually a mix of leading demonstrations and more routine parts of the legislative household.
Although ministers routinely say in interviews that “they cannot predict what will be in the Queen’s speech”, it is well known what bills are being prepared and some of them have been specifically announced in advance.
Here’s a guide to what to expect on Tuesday:
Bills that are certain or expected to be in the Queen’s speech
School account
Nadhim Zahawi, secretary of education, says the bill aims to “create a school system that works for every child, parent and family”. Introduced as part of the government’s equalization program, the bill will make it easier for schools in England to join trusts at several academies and strengthen their regulatory framework.
It will also introduce a new national formula for school funding, designed to make school funding fairer, and create mandatory registers for out-of-school children.
Higher Education Bill
At the heart of this bill will be the introduction of a “lifelong loan right”, which allows people to receive a loan equivalent to four years of university education (£ 37,000), which they can use throughout their lives to finance technical training. The government says this will be a “seismic change” for education in 18 years.
Account for equalization and regeneration
Designed to stop main streets from being polluted by empty shops, the bill will give councils in England the power to force landlords to rent out commercial properties. It will also give local authorities new powers to take control of empty buildings through increased mandatory purchase orders.
It is also reported that the bill will allow councils to double the municipal tax on second homes that are not occupied.
British Bill of Rights
Justice Minister Dominique Raab said in an interview with the Sun on Sunday that the long-promised Tory bill, which aims to limit some of the impact of Labor’s human rights law and give UK judges more freedom deviating from the European Court of Justice on human rights decisions will ensure that “public safety takes precedence over the rights of violators”.
In particular, he wants to use it to make it easier for the government to deport foreign offenders and to limit the extent to which the ECHR can be used to silence the press for reasons of privacy.
Brexit Freedom Bill
Boris Johnson has promised what he calls a “Brexit freedom bill” aimed at facilitating the removal of EU regulations that have remained in place since Britain left the EU. Other Brexit bills will include one that allows gene editing, a public procurement bill to make it easier for small businesses to bid for public sector contracts, and a data reform bill.
Broadcasting account
A bill for the implementation of the proposed privatization of Channel 4 is expected.
Economic Crime Bill
The government has promised a bill on economic crime that gives Companies House new powers to check people suspected of registering companies through fraud, following the recent introduction of a bill on urgent economic crimes to establish a register of foreign entities and their beneficial owners.
Animal Welfare Bill (Animals Abroad).
This bill will ban the import of hunting trophies and will ban the sale and advertising of holidays that involve cruelty to animals. However, plans to include a ban on the import and sale of goose liver and hides have been dropped.
Draft mental health bill
This legislation, published in a draft, will revise the Mental Health Act 1983. It will limit the extent to which the law can be used to detain people with autism and people with learning disabilities and ensure that more attention is paid to preferences for the treatment of legally detained patients.
The bill will implement most of the recommendations from the 2018 review of the law by Professor Sir Simon Wesley.
Bill on conversion therapy
A bill is expected to ban transformation practices – albeit controversial, not for trans people.
The bills are transferred
Four bills have been carried over since the last session: the Online Safety Bill, the Animal Welfare Bill (Animal Welfare Bill), the Higher Education Bill (Freedom of Speech) Bill and the High-Speed Rail Bill (Crewe-Manchester).
Bill for potential inclusion in the Queen’s speech
The government is working on a bill that will be formulated to protect the Good Friday Agreement – but which will effectively give the government the right to ignore parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol. A very controversial measure, it is not yet clear whether this will be mentioned directly in the Queen’s speech – or at this stage it is just an option that is kept in reserve.
Accounts not included in the Queen’s speech
Planning account
The Queen’s speech last year promised a planning bill. But Tory MPs reacted very badly to the plans, amid fears that it would lead to a massive expansion of housing in the South of England, approved by a planning algorithm. The bill was rejected and more modest planning changes are expected to be included in the equalization bill instead.
Labor account
The government also reportedly rejected an employment bill designed to strengthen workers’ rights.
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