This week’s King’s Speech unveiled Labour’s agenda for 'national renewal' with a range of new bills announced. Here are the key measures most relevant to the Sustain alliance.
King Charles announced 40 new bills into Parliament this week as part of Keir Starmer's new 'mission-driven' Government. This is the most bills presented in a speech from the Monarch since 2005, and the second highest number since 1997.
The Prime Minister also kick-started a new ministerial taskforce to initiate work on the Child Poverty Strategy.
We respond to the most relevant bills and announcements for the Sustain alliance:
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
This bill will accelerate the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and housing through planning reform. Measures include fair compensation for compulsory purchase, modernising planning committees, and enhancing local planning authorities' capacities. You can read new Chancellor Rachel Reeves' speech on housebuilding targets.
Ruth Westcott, Campaign Manager, Climate Change and Nature says:
“The government has big plans on housebuilding, but many areas of the country are so polluted that they can’t legally build without risking damaging our precious habitats. The main source of nitrate pollution in the UK is intensive agriculture, so we need action to clean up, and stop any further spread of industrial livestock farming where catchments are polluted. This industry poses a huge climate and pollution threat.”
Water (Special Measures) Bill
This bill will strengthen the water regulator's powers, and hold water bosses criminally liable for lawbreaking and ban bonuses if environmental standards are not met. New Defra Secretary of State, Steve Reed, included cleaning up our rivers as one of his five key priorities last week.
Ruth Westcott, Campaign Manager, Climate Change and Nature says:
“We welcomed Labour’s commitment to addressing river pollution, however, since agriculture is a major contributor, it is crucial to also target big agribusinesses alongside sewage companies. These companies are responsible for colossal amounts of waste. They must be better regulated through the permitting system, and we need to invest in transitioning farmers out of intensive livestock.”
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
As highlighted in the manifesto, this bill will progressively increase the age for buying cigarettes to phase out smoking for the next generation and impose limits on vape sale and marketing. There will also be restrictions on junk food advertising to children and the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16’s.
Kate Howard, Children’s Food Campaign Coordinator, says:
“We welcome Labour’s commitment to legislate on junk food advertising and their plan to ban energy drink sales to under-16s, and we hope to see both measures implemented promptly.
We'd like to see the Labour Government establish a comprehensive children's health and food strategy to tackle food-related ill health. This should include banning 'buy one get one free' promotions of unhealthy food and expanding on the huge success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to encourage healthier recipes across a wider range of food and drinks.”
Children's Wellbeing Bill
This bill aims to raise educational standards and promote children’s wellbeing by removing the VAT exemption for private school fees to fund 6,500 new teachers. It will also mandate free breakfast clubs in every primary school, limit branded uniform requirements, and require local authorities to maintain registers of Children Not in School.
Barbara Crowther, Children’s Food Campaign Manager says:
“There is growing evidence that healthy school meals boost academic performance, attendance, and overall child health. The commitment to providing school breakfasts for all children is a positive step, but we urge the new Government to go further. We need a review of the quality, funding, and access of all school meals, with the long-term aim of ensuring nutritious school food for all children by 2030.”
You can read our blog on “Will this change do us good?” where we discuss the changes needed to get our children eating more healthy and sustainable food.
New taskforce on child poverty
The Work & Pensions Secretary and Education Secretary will lead a new ministerial taskforce aimed at promptly implementing the child poverty strategy. The taskforce will explore ways to enhance children's opportunities and well-being by looking at levers such as household income, employment, housing, children’s health, childcare, and education.
The new Education Secretary, Bridget Philipson, said:
"Child poverty is at the heart of breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving the life chances for every child...For too many children, living in poverty leaves them not ready to learn and robbed of opportunity."
English Devolution Bill
This legislation will grant new powers to metro mayors and combined authorities to support local growth plans and bring economic benefits to communities. Angela Rayner, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, has written to council leaders without devolved responsibilities to offer them the opportunity for greater autonomy, and met with Metro Mayors alongside the PM last week.
Tracey Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, says:
“We will work in lockstep with this government to ensure the English Devolution Bill moves power from central government into communities”
Budget Responsibility Bill
The legislative announcements focus on improving living standards by driving economic growth, a flagship theme from Labour’s General Election campaign.
This Bill is designed to prevent large, unfunded spending commitments, and this bill will ensure all significant tax and spending changes undergo independent assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
The King also announced a National Wealth Bill, a Skills England Bill and a Great British Energy Bill, among others. Take a look at the full list.
We set out what we wanted from the first 100 days of the new Government in a blog.
Published Thursday 18 July 2024
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
