Sir Keir Starmer’s Government has set out dozens of new bills in its second King’s Speech since winning the general election in July 2024, covering everything from energy to national security.
The King’s Speech formally opens a new session of parliament and sets out the Government’s legislative agenda for the year ahead.
It is written by ministers and delivered by the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament.
The bills listed are not guaranteed to pass – they must still make their way through both the Commons and the Lords – but they represent the Government’s stated priorities for the session.
What is in the King’s Speech?
The speech began with the King saying that the Government will “respond to this world with strength and aim to create a country that is fair for all”.
Here are the key bills announced:
European Partnership Bill: Creates new legal frameworks for increased trade with the EU and new opportunities for young people, as part of the Government’s ongoing reset of UK-EU relations. The speech describes improved trading relations as “vital for the United Kingdom’s economic security, for significantly raising economic growth, and for lowering prices for working people”.
Small Business Protections (Late Payments) Bill: Forces larger businesses to pay their smaller suppliers on time.
Clean Water Bill: Reforms the water industry to tackle sewage dumping and clean up rivers and waterways.
Competition Reform Bill: Reforms competition law to tackle market dominance and create fairer conditions for businesses.
Regulating for Growth Bill: Strips back red tape on businesses, using new technology and innovation to replace outdated rules.
Enhancing Financial Services Bill: Reforms financial services regulation to attract investment and improve the operating environment for business.
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Formally takes British Steel into public ownership. The Government has said it will “continue to take all action necessary to safeguard the domestic production of steel”.
Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill: Gives legal backing to the long-delayed Northern Powerhouse Rail project, which aims to improve east-west rail connections across the North of England.
Highways (Financing) Bill: Allows roads to be built more quickly, including the Lower Thames Crossing – a long-planned tunnel under the Thames east of London.
The King and Queen Camilla arriving for the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords (Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Getty)Overnight Visitor Levy Bill: Allows local authorities in England to charge a small levy on overnight visitors, similar to tourist taxes already in place in Wales, Scotland, and many European cities.
Social Housing Renewal Bill: Invests in social housing stock and strengthens protections for tenants, including domestic abuse survivors. The speech describes housing as something that “can be a source of insecurity for many people.”
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill: Caps ground rents and overhauls the leasehold system. Reports suggest the most significant changes would not come into force until after the next general election.
Education for All Bill: Raises standards in schools and overhauls the system for children with special educational needs, aiming to deliver more support within mainstream schools. The speech says every child deserves “the chance to succeed to the best of his or her ability and not be held back due to poverty, special educational needs, or a lack of respect for vocational education”.
Remediation Bill: Speeds up the process of fixing unsafe cladding on residential buildings, affecting thousands of leaseholders still living in homes deemed a fire risk.
Sporting Events Bill: Establishes a new legislative framework to make it easier to deliver big sporting events.
Police Reform Bill: Overhauls how the police are run, with a focus on standards and accountability.
NHS Modernisation Bill: Strips out layers of NHS management, shifts the focus toward preventing illness rather than treating it, and supports the Government’s 10-year health plan.
Digital Access to Services Bill: Introduces a digital ID system, allowing people to prove their identity online when dealing with public services.
MPs gather in the House of Commons ahead of the King’s Speech (Photo: Sky News)Removal of Peerages Bill: Allows parliament to remove peerages from individuals in defined circumstances.
Civil Aviation Bill: Provides the legal framework for airport expansion, clearing the way for new runway capacity.
Sovereign Grant Bill: Sets the amount the King will get in funding for the 2027/28 financial year.
Immigration and Asylum Bill: Reforms the immigration and asylum system, which the Government says will increase “confidence in the security of the immigration and asylum systems”.
Energy Independence Bill: Scales up homegrown renewable energy and expands the national grid. The speech frames it as a security issue, saying increased clean energy production will help ensure “enemies of the United Kingdom cannot attack the economic security of the British people”.
Nuclear Regulation Bill: Takes forward recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Review to support a new phase of civil nuclear power generation in the UK.
Electricity Generator Levy Bill: Introduces a levy on electricity generators as part of the Government’s wider energy market reforms.
Tackling State Threats Bill: Gives security services new powers to counter hostile foreign states and their proxies operating in the UK.
National Security Bill: Brought forward in response to the Southport attack. The speech says the Government will “respond to the horrific attack in Southport with measures to protect the British people from extreme violence, and honour the victims, the injured and their families”.
Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Victoria Starmer leaving 10 Downing Street for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: James Manning/PA)What are the draft bills?
Some measures have been published in draft form, meaning they are available for parliamentary scrutiny but have not yet been formally introduced to the Commons.
Draft bills must complete pre-legislative scrutiny before the Government can bring forward a final version for full parliamentary debate.
Draft Conversion Practices Bill: This will ban abusive conversion practices – attempts to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill has been subject to prolonged delays across successive governments.
Draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill: This will crack down on the bulk-buying of tickets by touts for resale at inflated prices.
Draft Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Bill: This will look at updating taxi and private hire vehicle laws to “make every day journeys safer, fairer and easier”.
What isn’t new?
Seven of the bills in this session’s programme were carried over from the last parliamentary session, meaning the Commons agreed a motion to continue their passage rather than starting them afresh.
Armed Forces Bill: Improves the military justice system and writes the Armed Forces Covenant – the Government’s commitments to service personnel and their families – into law.
Courts and Tribunals Bill: Reforms the criminal justice system and court processes. Also referred to as the Courts Modernisation Bill.
Cyber Security and Resilience Bill: Strengthens the UK’s defences against cyberattacks and hostile activity online.
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Addresses legacy issues arising from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Public Office (Accountability) Bill: Introduces a legal duty of candour for public servants – meaning they would be required by law to tell the truth in public inquiries and investigations. Widely known as the Hillsborough Law.
Railways and Passenger Benefits Bill: Establishes Great British Railways, bringing train operators and infrastructure under a single public body.
Representation of the People Bill: Reforms electoral law, covering voter registration and related matters.
What is missing from the speech?
The most significant omission is a full welfare reform bill.
The Government announced earlier this year that it intended to overhaul the benefits system, with proposed changes to personal independence payment and the work capability assessment drawing sustained political attention.
The speech references ongoing welfare reform, saying ministers will “respond to the Milburn Review and the Timms Review and continue to reform the welfare system to support both young and disabled people to flourish in work”.
However, no standalone welfare bill has been included in the programme.
Ministers have said primary legislation will follow once the reviews have reported, with findings expected later this summer and autumn.
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