On 07 November 2023, the King officially marked the State Opening of this Parliamentary session.
In his Speech, written by the UK Government and read from the Throne in the House of Lords, His Majesty announced 21 Bills, 5 of which have been carried over from the previous Parliamentary session.
Using the headings given in the accompanying notes, the Bills for this Parliamentary session are:
Growing the Economy
1. Arbitration Bill
2. Vehicles Bill
3. Data Protection and Digital Information Bill
4. Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill
5. Draft Rail Reform Bill
6. Media Bill
7. Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill
8. Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill
Strengthening Society
1. Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill
2. Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
3. Leasehold and Freehold Bill
4. Renters (Reform) Bill
5. Football Governance Bill
6. Pedicabs (London) Bill
7. Holocaust Memorial Bill
8. Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Keeping People Safe
1. Criminal Justice Bill
2. Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill
3. Sentencing Bill
4. Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill
5. Victims and Prisoners Bill
For Bookkeepers
Not all the Bills will apply UK-wide if they become an Act of Parliament. As with all Acts of Parliament, they only provide the ‘structure’ of what can happen in the future and all will allow for further legislation to be made to bring them into force.
ICB has looked at the Bills and can see nothing of professional significance for members. The only one that will potentially affect professionals and employers at some time in the future is the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. This will make changes to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), enshrined in the Data Protection Act 2018.
As always, ICB will keep members updated via news items and the monthly Wages Wednesday.
