His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key themes for Environment include the regulation of water companies and the introduction of new measures to encourage sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK.  Other announcements of relevance include creation of Great British Energy and using development to fund nature recovery. Lucy Bruce Jones, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, Richard Marsh, partner at BDB Pitmans, Michael Burns, partner and global co-head of energy at Ashurst, and Charlie Reid, planning partner at Ashurst provide commentary on these announcements.

The King’s Speech of 17 July 2024 included a proposed Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill, which aims to enhance the UK’s resolution regime, providing the Bank of England (BoE) with a more flexible toolkit to respond to the failure of small banks. It seeks to ensure that, where failing banking institutions require intervention, certain costs of managing their failure do not fall to taxpayers.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. These covered the introduction of the (1) new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill which seeks to 'modernise' the asylum and immigration system and strengthen and secure the border, and (2) Skills England Bill which seeks to understand national and local skills needs via establishment of a new body, 'Skills England'. Katie Newbury, partner at Kingsley Napley LLP comments on the announcements.

On 17 July 2024, His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament. Key Bills with relevance for the Energy sector include: the Great British Energy Bill, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Crown Estate Bill, Arbitration Bill, Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, and the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill. Richard Marsh, partner at BDB Pitmans, Stephanie Hall, solicitor at Davitt Jones Bould, Claire Dutch, co-head of planning at Ashurst, Charlie Reid, planning partner at Ashurst, Matthew Saunders, partner at Ashurst, Rhiannon Webster, solicitor at Ashurst, Matt Worsfold, partner at Ashurst Risk Advisory, and Lucy Bruce Jones, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, provide commentary on these announcements.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. This includes 40 legislative proposals to be addressed in the 2024–2025 parliamentary session. In his speech, King Charles explained that the government’s ‘legislative programme will be mission led and based upon the principles of security, fairness and opportunity for all.’

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. The King's Speech 2024 contained the announcement of a new Pensions Schemes Bill, stating, 'Bills will be brought forward… to strengthen pensions investment'. The Bill aims to increase the amount available for pension savers and states it could help an average earner, who saves over their lifetime in a defined contribution scheme, to have over £11,000 more in their pension pots with which to secure their retirement income.

The Prime Minister's Office has published background briefing notes for the King's Speech 2024 which includes information on the Arbitration Bill. It explains the territorial extent of the Bill and what the Bill intends to do—that being the implementation of the recommendations made in a 2022 Law Commission review of Arbitration Law. Matthew Saunders, partner at Ashurst LLP, and Jason Raeburn, Partner at Paul Hastings LLP, provide comment on the inclusion of the Arbitration Bill.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies at the first State Opening of Parliament under the newly elected government, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key themes for Information Law include the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and the Digital Information and Smart Data Bill. Rhiannon Webster, partner and head of UK data privacy and cybersecurity at Ashurst, Jason Raeburn, partner at Paul Hastings, and Edward Machin, counsel at Ropes & Gray, comment on the King’s Speech 2024.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies at the first State Opening of Parliament under the newly elected government, which took place on 17 July 2024. This included a package of bills, such as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and the Digital Information and Smart Data Bill. Rosie Burbidge, partner at Gunnercooke LLP comments on the developments announced.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies at the first State Opening of Parliament under the newly elected government, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key themes for the property industry include the Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill, the Renters’ Rights Bill and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The first two Bills aim to provide leaseholders and renters with greater security, rights and protections, whilst the Planning and Infrastructure Bill sets out to improve the planning system at a local level. Sebastian Taylor, partner at Herbert Smith Freehills and Stephanie Hall, solicitor at Davitt Jones Bould, comment on the speech.

His Majesty the King has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. These included the Budget Responsibility Bill, National Wealth Fund Bill, The Crown Estate Bill, Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, Draft Conversion Practices Bill, Holocaust Memorial Bill, English Devolution Bill, Hillsborough Law, Northern Ireland Legacy Legislation, House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension) Bill and Digital Information and Smart Data Bill. Further policy announcements have been made regarding a new Council of the Nations and Regions, strengthening the integrity of elections and encouraging wide participation in the democratic process, a modernisation committee of the House of Commons and a new security pact to strengthen cooperation on the mutual threats faced by the United Kingdom and the European Union. Silvana Van der Velde of Burges Salmon, Veronica McMahon of Osborne Clarke, Fiona Sawyer of Herbert Smith Freehills, Tom Whittaker of Farrer & Co, Edward Machin of Ropes & Grey, Jason Raeburn of Paul Hastings and Hannah Ford of Stevens Bolton comment on the announcements.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and legislative proposals at the first State Opening of Parliament under the newly elected government, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key bills impacting planning law and practice which the government intends to pursue in this Parliamentary session include the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill. Other Bills that may be relevant for planning practitioners include the English Devolution Bill, the Holocaust Memorial Bill and the Great British Energy Bill. Stephanie Hall, solicitor at Davitt Jones Bould, Richard Sharpe, partner at Sharpe Pritchard, and Carina Wentzel, solicitor at Norton Rose Fullbright, provide commentary on these announcements.