Housing at the forefront of King’s Speech

King Charles has set out the new government's plans in a speech to Parliament.

39 bills were outlined in the speech which the government plans to pass in the next parliamentary session.

Awaab’s Law will be extended to enforce building safety tules for private renters as well as social tenants. A Renters’ Rights Bill will ban so-called no fault evictions.

A Planning and Infrastructure Bill is included intended to streamline the process for approving critical infrastructure, and overhaul rules on the compulsory purchase of land.

Transport was also high on the agenda. A Passenger Railway Services Bill will enable the government to renationalise nearly all passenger rail services when the existing contracts expire. A Railways Bill will create a new body - Great British Railways - to oversee track and trains.

The Better Buses Bill will enable a wider range of local leaders to take over responsibility for running bus services.

The English Devolution Bill aims to streamline the process to transfer more powers to elected mayors in combined councils.

The remaining hereditary peers in the House of Lords will be phased out.

When it comes to energy and net zero, the Great British Energy Bill will create a new state-owned energy investment and generation company.

£7.3 billion will be invested in infrastructure and green industry over five years through the National Wealth Fund Bill.

Trevor Hutchings, CEO of the REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology), said:
 
“The REA welcomes the King’s Speech and the commitments made to pursue net zero and the clean energy transition. These proposals, following the flurry of activity we have seen since the new Government has taken office, mark a welcome step-change from what the sector has seen in recent years. Net zero and the clean energy transition are the economic opportunity of the 21st Century, delivering jobs, secure and affordable energy and helping to address climate change. It is essential that the government now doubles down to deliver on this agenda.
 
“We await to see the finer details behind these proposals, as well as some areas that the King’s Speech did not cover. For example, the growing need to address electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and measures to promote the circular bioeconomy, as outlined in the REA’s First 100 Days action plan for the Government.
 
“I would urge the Government to work with industry as an essential partner as we deliver a shared ambition of green growth for this country.”

Mike Thornton, chief executive of Energy Saving Trust said: "It’s welcome to hear the commitment to a Bill to establish Great British Energy to support the UK’s transition to clean energy. The optimistic tone of the King’s Speech reflects the considerable ambitions of the new UK Government and its refreshed approach to addressing the UK’s energy security. Ambition must now quickly turn to action.

"The UK is over-reliant on fossil fuels, energy bills remain high and people need help to engage with net zero. Addressing the climate emergency by reducing carbon will result in healthier homes, cleaner air and greener, cheaper energy for all.

"Communities across the country have a key role in achieving the 2030 clean power target, something that GB Energy and the new Solar Taskforce must consider. Equally important is enabling people to make the switch to low carbon heating, while reducing their overall energy demand at the pace and scale needed.

"To accelerate this further, the expected Warm Homes Plan should ensure that people have access to impartial, tailored help and energy saving advice and low cost green finance. England needs an expert energy advice scheme like those that already exist in Scotland and Wales.

"We’ve seen the policies and models work in parts of the UK, it’s now time to put in place robust plans, schemes and incentives that will effectively address the scale of the challenge across the whole of the UK."

Through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, the bosses of private water companies will be personally liable for lawbreaking and the water regulator will have new powers to ban bonuses.

Police will gain new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour through the Crime and Policing Bill, which will also make assaulting shop workers a specific crime.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which was previously announced under Rishi Sunak’s government, will introduce a gradual ban on smoking.

The Children’s Wellbeing Bill will mean that councils in England will have to maintain registers of children who are not educated in school full-time. It will also provide breakfast clubs in all English primary schools.