The Queen's Speech – what you need to know

11 May 2022

Houses of Parliament

This years' Queen's Speech contains plans for some important new laws including a proposed Bill on precision breeding and the Animal Welfare Bill. Learn what was in and what did not make it in our short report for members.  

The Queen’s Speech sets out the government’s legislative plans for the next two years.

The State Opening of Parliament marks the formal start of a new parliamentary session while the Queen’s Speech. It is written by ministers and was this year delivered by the HRH The Prince of Wales.

The Speech containing 38 proposed laws is an opportunity for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reset the government’s agenda in the wake of the May local elections.

There were two notable absences, with a Nature Bill, aiming to legislate for elements of the government’s response to the Glover Review, and an Animal Welfare (Animals Abroad) Bill both expected to be announced in the speech, missing.

Six notable mentions

Of the Bills mentioned, the following are of most relevance to our members:

  • Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill: This Bill proposes banning the live exports of animals to be fattened or slaughtered.
  • Energy Security Bill: This Bill lays the foundation to build eight nuclear power stations and increase wind and solar energy production in the UK.
  • Gene Editing (Precision Breeding) Bill: This Bill will remove some EU regulation on precision-bred plants in England. Read more from NFUonline on precision breeding. 
  • Procurement Bill: This Bill will bring in new arrangements to assist government to buy in products and services needed to "protect life, health and order" and make it easier for small-to-medium businesses to bid for public sector contracts.
  • Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill: This Bill makes it easier for telecoms companies to maintain, upgrade and install new telecoms infrastructure, but we have some concerns about the balance it strikes with landowners’ rights.
  • Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill: This Bill will create powers to implement trade deals with those two countries. Read more about our Australia and New Zealand trade deals.

Some Bills have been carried over from the previous session including the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill and the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. We continue to work on your behalf on these.

As a new parliamentary session begins, politicians will now debate the contents of the Queen’s Speech, with different days given over to specific subject areas. The Bills will then be voted on.

Read more on NFUonline

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