The 2022 Queen’s Speech took place on Tuesday 10th May, with the Prince of Wales delivering Her Majesty’s Speech on her behalf at the State Opening of Parliament.
The State Opening of Parliament allows for the Government to set out the programme of legislation that it intends to pursue in the forthcoming parliamentary session.
The Speech outlined 38 new laws that will progress through Parliament, including measures ranging from Education and Housing. These measures include:
- A New Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will deliver planning reforms, while regenerating towns and cities across the country, shifting power and accountability to local leaders. This will empower communities across the UK, giving them a louder voice.
- Introduce an Energy Security Bill, delivering a more secure homegrown energy system that is affordable and cleaner, cutting costs for families. This will also create tens of thousands of jobs whilst cutting household bills for families.
- A Higher Education Bill, which will raise education standards and increase fairness within the system.
- Measures to strengthen our school system to raise standards for students, reform funding and encourage attendance. This will level up opportunity by delivering a stronger and more highly performing school system that benefits every child across the country.
Other measures include modernising our business rates system to increase fairness for business owners, improving tenants’ rights through our Social Housing Regulation Bill and delivering a Renters Reform Bill, providing 4.4 million households with more secure and high-quality homes within a more stable rental market.
The Social Security Bill will allow more people nearing the end of their life get fast tracked access to key disability benefits to providing the most in need with the dignity they deserve at the end of their life. We will also bring forward a draft Victims Bill to strengthen rights for victims by placing the new Victims’ Code on a statutory footing. This will look to restore victims’ confidence that their voices will be properly heard and that perpetrators will be brought to justice.
While continuing to invest £36 in the NHS as we clear the backlogs caused by the unprecedented challenges placed on the NHS by Covid-19, we will also bring forward a draft Mental Health Act Reform Bill, which will ensure that patients suffering from mental health conditions have greater control over their treatment and receive the dignity and respect they deserve through a more personalised level of care.
These measures, and the many more that are included in the Queens’ Speech will help the Government to continue to deliver on our priorities, including easing the cost of living and growing the economy, as well as cutting crime, supporting communities, and providing the leadership needed in the year ahead.
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The full speech can be read here: Queen’s Speech 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Background Briefing notes that provide further information can be found here: Lobby Pack (10 May 2022) (publishing.service.gov.uk)