QUEEN'S SPEECH 2021 A Cicero/AMO Analysis - 11 May 2021 - Cicero Group
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QUEEN’S SPEECH 2021 A Cicero/AMO Analysis 11 May 2021
The Queen’s Speech 2021
A Cicero/AMO Analysis - 11 May 2021
The Queen’s Speech - marking the State Opening of Parliament and setting out the Government’s legislative agenda for the Parliamentary session
ahead – has been delivered amongst a flow of good news for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The local elections last week saw the Conservative Party
win the seat of Hartlepool for the first time since its creation and take over control of around 15 more councils, with roughly 200 extra Conservative
councillors overall. Yesterday the Prime Minister was able to give the country the go ahead for the next stage of the roadmap out of lockdown, allowing
groups to make use of indoor hospitality and people to hug their loved ones again.
It therefore was not a surprise to see a jubilant Boris Johnson bouncing on his feet as the Queen announced the legislation his Government will bring
forward this year. After the last Queen’s Speech focused on delivering Brexit, and significant Parliamentary time has since been taken up handling the
Coronavirus crisis, this Queen’s Speech offered the Government the opportunity to signal it is getting back on track with its manifesto commitments
made in 2019.
A significant proportion of the speech was dedicated to the Government’s levelling up agenda. The Government plans to enable lifelong learning
through the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, extend 5G mobile coverage through the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill,
authorise the next phase of HS2 through the High Speed Rail Bill, and deliver on its manifesto promise to build 300,000 new homes a year by reforming
the planning system to make it “simpler, faster and more modern”. This goes some way towards signalling the policy behind the oft-used phrase, but
the real detail is still to be expected in a Levelling Up White Paper to be published later this year.
Ahead of COP26 later this year, the Government has attempted to signal its green credentials, reintroducing the Environment Bill that began its
Parliamentary passage in the previous session and sets binding environmental targets. The Government will also bring forward a number of bills related
to animal welfare – perhaps a nod to Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds’ influence.
The Government will also have the opportunity to extol the benefits of Brexit through the Subsidy Control Bill, which will set out a new, post-Brexit
regime for state aid. Freeports - low-tax zones featuring simplified planning rules that aim to serve as hubs for high value manufacturing and innovation
- will be codified in the National Insurance Contributions Bill. A Procurement Bill will also simplify procurement in the public sector, giving small and
medium-sized companies greater opportunities to secure Government contracts and allowing the public sector to ‘buy British’ when the deals are not
subject to international trade rules.
Among the announcements that have dominated early commentary on the speech, the Government is also proposing a series of constitutional reforms.
The planned repeal of the Fixed Terms Parliament Act has already sparked the Westminster rumour mill that the next general election could be held
in the spring of 2023, earlier than the current timeline of spring 2024. The Electoral Integrity Bill, which proposes registered voters will need to take ID
when casting votes in elections, is already proving controversial with concerns that it may supress turnout and risks being discriminatory. Lastly, the
Judicial Review Bill will seek to redress what the Government views as an imbalance between the executive and the judiciary, following a number of
controversial Brexit court cases that bled into the political arena.
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Despite the packed agenda set out, some sectors will be disappointed not to see concrete legislative plans. The Government promised to fix the social
care crisis before the next election, but the Queen’s Speech announces a Health and Care Bill focused only on NHS reform. Proposals on social care
reform will be “brought forward” - a somewhat vague promise for those eagerly awaiting the detail. Campaigners have been waiting for the online
safety bill since the last Queen’s Speech, yet it is still only promised in draft form. Similarly, a draft victims bill has been announced but as Labour have
been quick to point out, has been promised in almost every Queen’s Speech since 2016 and still has yet to appear in Parliament.
Overall, the Government has announced 30 Bills it plans to bring forward in this session. With the size of the Government’s majority, this relatively
ambitious agenda should in theory be plain sailing. However, as Parliament returns in full form after a year of virtual hybrid arrangements, a large cohort
of MPs will be navigating life in Westminster for the first time. Working groups of backbench MPs have had the chance to form without the strong arm
of the Whips to keep MPs in line, and as we saw with the backlash the Government received to the Internal Markets Bill, a majority of 80 can quickly
start to feel uncomfortable. Boris Johnson will have to work hard to convince his backbenchers that the entirety of his legislative agenda is worth their
support.
Get in touch...
Charlotte Adamson - Head of Legislative Affairs
charlotte.adamson@cicero-group.com
+44 (0)20 7947 5323
Omar Rana - Senior Account Manager
omar.rana@cicero-group.com
+44 (0)20 7297 5962
Next section
Bills being carried over from the previous Parliament
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The Queen’s Speech 2021
A Cicero/AMO Analysis - 11 May 2021
This paper provides an overview of the key Bills announced in the Queen’s Speech. If you would like to speak to the Cicero Legislative Affairs
Team on any of the below legislation or any other Bills included, please do get in touch.
Bills being carried over from the previous Parliament
Environment Bill
First introduced in the previous Parliament, this Bill is a key part of the Government’s environment agenda – identified by Ministers as a major
policy priority ahead of COP26 later this year. The legislation requires the Government to set legally binding targets across air quality, water,
biodiversity, and resource efficiency and waste reduction. The Bill also aims to assist communities in preparing for adverse weather changes
caused by climate change.
Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill
Originally the brainchild of Dominic Cummings, this Bill seeks to create a new Advanced Research and Invention Agency. The proposed
agency would be based on the model of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the United States, and would fund
long-term scientific research, including “high risk, high pay-off” cutting edge technologies. The Government has previously briefed that the
agency will have a high tolerance of failure and a large degree of autonomy, enabling it to pursue research that is untenable under the current
scientific funding system.
Finance Bill
Introduced in the last Parliamentary session, the Finance Bill legislates for the key tax changes announced in the 2021 Budget. This includes
future changes to corporation tax, extensions of the stamp duty holiday and a new ‘super deduction’ to support business investment.
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Telecommunications (Security) Bill
The Telecommunications (Security) Bill was introduced following the Government’s decision to restrict the role of the Chinese state-owned
company Huawei in the UK’s 5G infrastructure. This follows increased concerns of the security implications of Chinese investment in core
UK assets. As such, the Bill will introduce a new framework for UK telecoms networks to increase their security and resilience.
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
The Government has introduced the Bill to address what it sees as the imbalance between the individual right to protest and the interests
of society. This followed recent high-profile protests, such as those organised by Extinction Rebellion, that Ministers believe have had a
disproportionate impact on small businesses, residents and local communities. The legislation carried over to this session is designed to
update the measures allowed to deploy effective policing of these protests, although has led to significant backlash, with critics arguing it
unduly restricts the right to protest.
Next section
Bills introduced in the Queen’s Speech
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Bills introduced in the Queen’s Speech
Levelling Up and making the most from Brexit
Skills and Post-16 Education Bill
Investing in skills and post-16 education is an existing priority of the current Government and forms a central part of the wider ‘levelling up’
agenda, to improve regional economic development and open alternative routes for training and apprenticeships. Ministers will hope that the
legislation’s offer of a “lifetime skills guarantee” and renewed focus on adult learning can lead to tangible changes in the prospects of those
seeking an alternative to University education, or who are struggling to progress in their current professions.
Planning Bill
Potentially one of the most controversial Bills in the upcoming Parliament, this legislation looks to reform current planning rules to expedite
building projects, particularly relating to housing. Although seeking to address housing supply is a key policy objective for the Government,
the legislation is likely to be contentious for many Conservative MPs, regarding the local impacts of expedited building projects.
Subsidy Control Bill
The recently signed Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) allows for the UK - now outside of the EU - to establish a new subsidy control
regime, including a new independent body to oversee state aid policy. The Subsidy Control Bill will provide the legal framework within which
public authorities can make subsidy decisions. This follows a consultation on the subject earlier this year.
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Procurement Bill
The issue of procurement has risen up the political agenda following the COVID-19 pandemic. This is following sustained media reporting
on the lack of transparency in the Government’s current procurement processes, with criticism that public money was not always correctly
spent. Moreover, reforming the way in which the Departments and Agencies outsource services has been identified as a key priority of the
Government’s wider civil service reform agenda. The Government will also hope that the Bill provides new opportunities for smaller firms to
compete for public sector contracts.
National Insurance Contributions Bill (Freeports)
As part of plans to ‘level up’ the Government has committed to the introduction of Freeports. In his March Budget, the Chancellor announced
that eight Freeports will be created in England with ongoing discussions around more Freeports in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Freeports are designed to offer a mixture of customs flexibilities: from relief on import duties, to modified tax and regulatory measures to
incentivise private investment.
Wider Legislation
Draft Online Safety Bill
Promised in draft form this session, legislation on online harms has been in the pipeline for over two years, since the Government first
published a White Paper on the topic in April 2019. Principally, the legislation will introduce new legal requirements for online companies,
regarding keeping people safe when they use the internet – including a new “Duty of Care” for internet users, particularly children. The Bill
has gathered media attention in recent months, due to the legislation placing obligations on online safety directly onto online companies, with
financial penalties for failing to comply. This has led to widespread reporting that the legislation could lead to large tech companies, such as
Facebook, facing fines of up to 10% on global turnover.
7Health and Care Bill
The previous Coalition Government passed a series of controversial reforms under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act passed
in 2012, (more widely known as the ‘Lansley Reforms’), which involved a major restructuring of the NHS. The new Health and Care Bill will
undo large parts of the previous Act and introduce more central Government ‘control’ of the NHS. The Bill will be a cornerstone piece of
legislation, in terms of the Government’s post-COVID agenda.
Dormant Assets Bill
Of importance to the financial services industry, this Bill would expand the Dormant Assets Scheme to include insurance and pensions. The
Government’s objective is that such an expansion of the scheme would unlock further funds for environmental and social initiatives, directly
supporting charities and voluntary organisations following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Counter-State Threats Bill
The Government announced it will put forward a new Bill to counter hostile activity by foreign states and implement the results of the In-
tegrated Review of Security, Defence, Development, and Foreign Policy, released in March this year. This followed instances such as the
Salisbury poisonings in 2018, widely believed to be sanctioned by the Russian State. Although these poisonings resulted in the expulsion of
23 Russian diplomats and intelligence officers from the UK, the new Bill seeks to further strengthen the Government’s powers in this area.
New Plan for Immigration Legislation
This Bill follows a Home Office consultation, published in March 2021, on a ‘New Plan for Immigration’ for the UK. The Government
intends the Bill to deter illegal entry into the UK and make it easier to remove from the UK those who are in the country illegally. Reforming
immigration and reducing numbers of illegal immigrants has been a key policy priority of the Government, in particular Home Secretary Priti
Patel. This issue has also risen up the political agenda, following the increase in migrant crossing being made in the English Channel over
the last twelve months.
8Constitutional reform
Electoral Integrity Bill
In a bid to ‘ensure the integrity of elections’, the Government is introducing an Electoral Integrity Bill which is set to introduce the requirement
that voters present some form of identification, such as a driving licence, passport, or even library card at the polls. The Government intends
that the introduction of Voter ID will increase confidence in the electoral process but trust in the system could potentially be undermined if
the new rules are perceived to discriminate and potentially restrict voting for groups such as lower income voters and ethnic minorities.
Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill
The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 set in legislation that the length of time between General Elections should be five years. The Act also
transferred the power to call an early election from the Prime Minister to MPs. This new Bill will repeal those provisions and once again
grant the dissolution prerogative to the Prime Minister. The Bill enters Parliament at a time when speculation is rife that Prime Minister Boris
Johnson will call an early election before the five-year term expires in 2024.
Judicial Review Bill
This Bill seeks to address a key concern for many Conservative MPs: ensuring that there are clearer boundaries between legal and political
questions and restricting the ability of the judiciary to intervene in what are perceived as purely political matters. This has risen-up the agenda
for the Government, following the decision of the Supreme Court in 2019 to overturn the Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament;
a decision which was criticised by many Conservatives as a direct intervention into the democratic process.
Next section
MP Twitter activity
9MP Twitter activity
Number of Tweets
8
7 Statement Begins
6
5
Total Tweets
4
3
2
1
0
Conservative Labour Others
Top Keywords Most Used Emojis
10Key Tweets
Alicia Kearns MP @aliciakearns
Queen’s speech today sends a very powerful message: love is not a pathology & it does not need treating. LGBTQ+ so-called
#ConversionTherapy is little more than bigotry & quackery packaged up by sinister charlatans to snare and profit off the vul-
nerable 1/ #BanConversionTherapy
David Lammy MP @DavidLammy
.@BorisJohnson’s government is prioritising:
- Voter suppression
- Reducing the power of the courts
- Watering down Judicial Review and Human Rights
The @Conservatives are not levelling up the country. They are bringing us down by tearing out the foundations of our democracy.
Tim Farron MP @timfarron
We seem to have a Government distracted by problems that do not exist like voter fraud, while ignoring the very real
issues of the social care crisis, the cancer backlog, the explosion in second home ownership and the plight of the #ex-
cluded 3 million. #QueensSpeech
For more information about Cicero/AMO’s digital services please contact james.donald@cicero-group.com
11Get in touch...
If you would like to speak to us about this document
or how we can help support your organisation and
its public affairs objectives, please do not hesitate
to contact the Cicero/AMO Legislative Affairs Team:
Charlotte Adamson - Head of Legislative Affairs
charlotte.adamson@cicero-group.com
+44 (0)20 7947 5323
Omar Rana - Senior Account Manager
omar.rana@cicero-group.com
+44 (0)20 7297 5962
2
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