Queen’s Speech 2019

The Queen’s Speech at the beginning of the forthcoming Session will take place on Monday 14 October 2019.

The State Opening of Parliament marks the beginning of the parliamentary session. Its main purpose is for the monarch formally to open Parliament and, in the Queen’s Speech, deliver an outline of the Government’s proposed policies and legislation for the coming session of Parliament.

This note identifies issues and bills that may appear in the Queen’s Speech. Section 2 reviews legislation that has already been introduced and carried over or was published in draft in the current Session. It also lists the Government bills that fell at prorogation. Section 3 provides information on plans for legislation, initially announced before the 2017-19 Session that may still form part of the Government’s plans. Section 4 reports statements or press speculation indicating that a particular issue is likely to be the subject of future legislation.

Bills in progress

The following bills are being carried over from the 2017-19 Session:

• Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [HL] 2017-19;
• Domestic Abuse Bill 2017-19;
• Sentencing (Pre-consolidation Amendments) Bill [HL] 2017-19; and
• High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Bill 2017-19 (hybrid bill).

Eight draft bills were published in 2017-19. Three of these were subsequently introduced and enacted. Of the remaining five, two have been introduced and three have not:

• Draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill;
• Draft Domestic Abuse Bill (introduced and carried over);
• Draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill (introduced);
• Draft Health Service Safety Investigations Bill; and
• Draft Registration of Overseas Entities Bill.

A draft Public Service Ombudsman Bill was published in December 2016.

Ten of the bills introduced by the Government during the 2017-19 Session did not complete their passage through Parliament and therefore fell at prorogation:

• Agriculture Bill 2017-19

• Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill 2017-19

• Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill [HL] 2017-19

• Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2017-19

• Financial Services (Implementation of Legislation) Bill [HL] 2017-19

• Fisheries Bill 2017-19

• Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2017-19

• Non-Domestic Rating (Lists) Bill 2017-19

• Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill [HL] 2017-19

• Trade Bill 2017-19

Potential subjects of legislation

The following issues are potential subjects of legislation:

• Defence
  • Armed Forces Bill
  • Legal protections
  • New compensation scheme for those injured or killed on combat operations
• Immigration
• Pensions
• Schools – elective home education
• Health
  • Integrated care
  • Health Care Safety Investigations Bill
• Agriculture
• Sentencing offenders
• Housing
  • Leasehold and Commonhold Reform
  • The private rented sector
  • Consumer redress
  • Mobile (park) homes
• Regulating Buildings
• Environment Bill
• European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
• Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill
• Transport
• Northern Ireland –budget legislation
• Northern Ireland – institutional historical abuse cases
• Financial services
• Local government
  • Devolution
  • Funding
  • Non-domestic rates
• Espionage Bill
• Replacing the European Arrest Warrant
• Legislation on employment status