The King's Speech: What it means for Wales
Today's King's Speech is a significant moment in history and politics and will have a major impact on the lives of all of us.
The ceremony in Westminster is the first time that Keir Starmer's Labour UK Government has set out clearly how it will change the laws to deliver its promises in the recent General Election.
The prime minister says it's aimed at "taking the brakes off Britain" and introducing a period of economic growth.
His party's plans have been set out in a series of more than 30 Bills, some of which affect Wales more directly than others.
That's because much decision-making is devolved to the Welsh Government, over areas like health and education, and many of Labour's proposals are in those devolved areas.
When it comes to Wales, the King’s Speech contained the pledge that the UK Government will “strengthen its work” with the Welsh Government and the other devolved governments.
It also restated Labour’s promise to create a new body to bring those governments closer together. The King said: “My ministers will establish a new Council of the Nations and Regions to renew opportunities for the prime minister, heads of devolved governments and mayors of combined authorities to collaborate with each other.”
Some of the most eye-catching bills won't affect Wales at all.
For example, the Children’s Wellbeing Bill with measures such as requiring free breakfast clubs and limiting the number of branded items of uniform required is England-only. Education is devolved to the Welsh Government, which has already introduced free breakfast clubs.
A Renters’ Rights Bill to ban "no-fault evictions" and strengthen tenants’ rights and protections is England-only.
There will be a Planning and Infrastructure bill aimed at speeding-up the system to increase housebuilding to enable economic growth, but, again, the planning system is devolved to the Welsh Government.
Many others will change things here in Wales.
A Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill will pave the way for rail services to be taken back into public ownership over time including those operating in Wales such as GWR and Avanti. This would be coupled with a Railways Bill simplifying the ticketing system and creating a public body, Great British Railways.
The Water (Special Measures) Bill will beef up regulatory powers including making company bosses criminally liable for any lawbreaking, banning bonuses if environmental standards aren’t met and require real-time monitoring of sewage outlets.
A Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill will give better support to victims of crime, strengthening powers for the Victims’ Commissioner, requiring offenders to attend sentencing hearings and reducing delays in the court system.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce the gradual smoking ban first introduced by Rishi Sunak. The responsibility lies with the Welsh Government which has already said it will introduce a parallel ban.
Among other measures which will affect us here in Wales are the following:
A Crime and Policing Bill to deliver a promise to reduce serious violence by half, giving police more power to crack down on crime and antisocial behaviour.
Budget Responsibility Bill, which would introduce a 'fiscal lock’ aimed at ensuring any significant tax and spending changes are scrutinised by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
National Wealth Fund to invest in businesses, bringing together different pots of funding along with an extra £7billion.
Pensions Scheme Bill to help people save more and get ‘better outcomes’ from their private pensions.
Employment Rights Bill will introduce measures to boost the rights of workers including by banning “exploitative” zero-hours contracts, ending the practice known as “fire and rehire”, making parental leave and sick pay available from day one.
Crown Estate Bill which the UK Government says will “modernise the Crown Estate” allowing it invest and borrow more in order to increase the amount of revenue it brings in. Plaid Cymru has called for the Crown Estate in Wales to be devolved to the Welsh Government, which isn’t in the UK Government’s plans.
Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill creating a new Border Security Command and “fixing the broken asylum system.”
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said: “Our programme for government is bold and ambitious and will deliver the change that Wales and the UK needs.
“The measures announced in the King’s Speech will deliver growth and jobs, take back our streets, establish GB Energy to cut people’s bills and create a National Wealth Fund to invest in the industries of the future."
She added: “The new government has already shown its clear support for Welsh steelmaking and acted to reset the relationship with the devolved governments.
“Today’s King’s Speech shows that we will quickly deliver on our mandate for change.”
Andrew RT Davies MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, said: "While there were parts of the King’s Speech to be welcomed, people in Wales are crying out for an end to economic unfairness.
"That can begin if the new UK Government urgently delivers for our steel communities and sends a message that no community in Wales will be left behind in the drive for growth."
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP, said: "The UK Government has today set out plans to strengthen English devolution – arguing that devolution is a key driver of economic growth. Yet, it offered no more powers for Wales. It seems Labour is happy to continue holding Wales back.
“There was no pledge to devolve the Crown Estate, devolved to Scotland since 2017, which would could ensure that energy profits are directed into Welsh communities. There was no mention either of Wales’ failing criminal justice system, the devolution of which has been supported for years by the Labour Welsh Government.
“There were no measures to address the deeply unfair funding formula that short-changes Wales billions in rail infrastructure spending. Neither was there a commitment to end the cruel two-child limit, impacting 65,000 children in Wales – 11% of all children.
“When it comes to strengthening our democracy, it is very disappointing that Labour seem to have dropped plans to extend voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds for Westminster elections, a measure already in effect for Senedd elections. Absent also were plans for automatic voter registration and an upper age limit in the House of Lords, suggesting that Labour are already backtracking on plans to improve democracy."
However, the MP welcomed a number of measures.
She said: " If done properly, GB Energy could lead to positive green energy developments in Wales. Plaid Cymru will scrutinise plans to ensure Welsh households see a direct benefit in their energy bills.
“Plaid Cymru has a clear role to play in this new Parliament. With a Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff deeply divided and distracted, and a huge Labour majority in Westminster, Plaid Cymru will push the UK Government to be more ambitious. We will be the only ones demanding fairness for Wales and standing up for our interests at every opportunity."
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