On 10th May 2022, the Prince of Wales formally addressed the State Opening of Parliament starting a new session. The Queen was not in attendance due to mobility problems.
The Queen’s Speech included a number of legislative proposals for the new parliamentary session including announcements on the economy, levelling-up, energy, infrastructure, transport and data reform. Background briefing notes on this Queen’s Speech can be accessed here.
Below, TIGA has pulled out the key announcement from Queen’s Speech.
Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Level up the UK, grow the economy and regenerate towns and cities
- Improve the planning system to give communities a stronger voice, making sure developments are accompanied by new infrastructure and affordable housing.
Brexit Freedoms Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- To end the supremacy of European law and ensure regulation fits the needs of the UK.
Draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill
The purpose of the draft Bill is to:
- Protect consumers’ money from scams and rip-offs and boost consumers’ rights.
- Reform the UK’s competition regime, putting the power in the hands of consumers and strengthening public and business confidence in the power of free markets.
- Create a best in class competition regime, to make markets for consumer goods and services more competitive and dynamic, to ensure that consumers get the best deals.
- Boost competition by introducing a new regime to address the far-reaching market power of a small number of very powerful tech firms.
Media Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Reform laws to boost public service broadcasters.
- Enable a change of ownership of Channel 4.
Electronic Trade Documents Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Put electronic trade documents on the same legal footing as paper documents.
Online Safety Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Make the UK the safest place in the world to be online by improving protections for users, especially children.
Data Reform Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Create a data rights regime that will allow the UK to create a new pro-growth and trusted UK data protection framework.
- Modernise the Information Commissioner’s Office, making sure it has the capabilities and powers to take stronger action against organisations who breach data rules while requiring it to be more accountable to Parliament and the public.
- Increase industry participation in Smart Data Schemes.
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Ensure the UK can comply with the obligations in the Free Trade Agreements with both Australia and New Zealand when they come into force by making the necessary changes to the UK’s domestic procurement regulations.
Schools Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Level up opportunity by delivering a stronger and more highly performing school system,
Higher Education Bill
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- Ensure that the post-18 education system promotes real social mobility.
- Support people get the skills they need to meet their career aspirations and to help grow the economy.
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, commented on the Queen’s Speech:
“The Queen’s Speech includes a number of Bills that are important for the creative and high technology industries, including the video games sector.
“TIGA notes the Government’s desire to utilise the benefits from Brexit and urges the Government to take advantage of the greater freedoms regarding state aid by increasing the rate of Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) to 32% and expanding the scope of qualifying costs. With respect to the Data Reform Bill, the UK’s data regime should remain ‘equivalent’ to the EU’s to ensure the free flow of data between the two jurisdictions.
“TIGA looks forward to engaging with Government and Parliament to ensure the growth, success and expansion of the UK video games industry.”