King’s Speech 2023

The State Opening of Parliament is scheduled to take place on 7 November 2023.

What is the State Opening?

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

This is the first speech from the throne in the House of Lords that King Charles III will deliver as King. In May 2022, he delivered the Queen’s Speech. He and Prince William were Counsellors of State, acting on Her late Majesty the Queen’s behalf.

This briefing identifies issues and bills that may appear in the King’s Speech, including legislation that has been carried over from the last session, legislation announced in the May 2022 Queen’s Speech that might still be part of the Government’s plans, and other issues that might be legislated on.

The briefing also includes general information about the ceremony and a summary of the progress of bills announced at the May 2022 Queen’s Speech.

This briefing also includes a summary of the progress of bills announced in the Queen’s Speech at the beginning of the 2022–23 session. Details of all Government bills introduced in this Session can be found on the Find a Bill webpages.

Which bills are in progress?

For a bill to be ‘carried over’ into the next session, a motion must be agreed by the Commons. In the current session, carry-over motions have been agreed for four public bills:

• Data Protection and Digital Information (No 2) Bill
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill
• Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
• Victims and Prisoners Bill

In addition, two hybrid bills will continue to be scrutinised in the 2023–24 session:

• High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill
• Holocaust Memorial Bill

In addition, the Renters Reform Bill was introduced but was still awaiting a second reading when this briefing was published.

Some bills that were announced in the May 2022 Queen’s Speech were not taken forward but may appear in the coming session. These are:

• Conversion Therapy Bill
• Modern Slavery Bill
• Transport Bill

Four draft bills were published in 2022–23, one has been formally introduced:

• Draft Media Bill
• Draft Victims Bill (introduced (Victims and Prisoners Bill 2022–23) and to be carried over)
• Draft Mental Health Bill
• Draft Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill

One further draft bill was announced but has not been published:

• Draft Audit Reform Bill

Potential subjects of legislation

The following areas may become subjects of legislation in the 2023–24 session:

• Criminal justice measures, including knife crime and sentencing
• Raising the age of sale for tobacco products
• Implementing legislation for UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
• Transport
• Leasehold and commonhold reform
• Changing the Habitats Regulations to ‘scrap nutrient neutrality’

Other information

The Library research briefing, State opening of Parliament – history and ceremonial, reviews how the ceremonial and practical arrangements of the State Opening of Parliament have changed over time.