This year’s Queen’s Speech was different for several reasons, notably the absence of Her Majesty The Queen and a return to a full Royal Gallery post the lifting of COVID restrictions.

Setting out the Government’s legislative plans and vision for the next parliamentary term, the Queen’s Speech announced 38 bills across a wide range of policy areas. The main focuses are on boosting economic growth across the country to address the cost of living, helping to create the conditions for more people to have high-wage, high-skill jobs, making our streets safer, levelling up by driving local growth and regeneration, a more reliable transport system, better homes, utilising our new-found Brexit freedoms, supporting the NHS in clearing the COVID-19 backlogs and providing leadership in challenging times.

The full list of bills include:

• Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill

• Schools Bill

• Transport Bill

• Energy Security Bill

• Draft Digital Market, Competition and Consumer Bill

• UK Infrastructure Bank Bill

• Non-Domestic Rating Bill

• Media Bill

• Product Security and Telecom Infrastructure Bill

• Electronic Business Documents Bill

• Draft Audit Reform Bill

• Brexit Freedoms Bill

• Financial Services and Markets Bill

• Data Reform Bill

• Trade (Australia and NZ) Bill

• Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill

• Higher Education Bill

• Social Housing Regulation Bill

• Renters Reform Bill

• Harbours (Sailors’ Renumeration) Bill

• Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill

• Public Order Bill

• National Security Bill

• Economic Offenses and Corporate Transparency Bill

• Modern Slavery Bill

• Draft Protect Duty Bill

• Draft Mental Health Act Reform Bill

• Bill of Rights

• The Problems of Northern Ireland (Inheritance and Reconciliation) Bill

• Identity and Languages (Northern Ireland) Bill

• Conversion Medicine Bill

• Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions Bill

• High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill

• Purchase Bill

• Online Security Bill

• Draft Victims Bill

• Animal Welfare (Raised Animals) Bill

• Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill

You can find further details on each of these here.

I spoke on Day 1 of the Queen’s Speech debate, focusing on the impact locally in South Northamptonshire, on early years, the Union and on the green agenda. You can play back my full remarks below:

It’s set to be a busy parliamentary term!