Research briefing setting out the government’s commitments covering culture, media and sport for the House of Lords debate on the 2024 King’s Speech.
King's Speech 2024: Culture, media and sport (306 KB , PDF)
Labour’s manifesto committed to reform of gambling regulation to reduce gambling-related harm and the introduction of legislation to reform football governance, which it said would include the establishment of a new football regulator. Work on these areas was already in train under the previous Conservative government. Indeed, Labour had indicated backing for the Football Governance Bill introduced by the Conservative government in the 2023–24 parliamentary session and a gambling reform white paper introduced in April 2023.
In addition, Labour has set out policies to support the creative industries and improve access to arts and music. This includes potential curriculum changes to support children studying creative subjects at school and introducing new consumer protections on ticket resales to reduce the impact of ticket touting.
The Library’s briefings for the King’s Speech draw on the Labour Party’s manifesto and other material in the public domain. They have been written in advance of the 2024 King’s Speech to help members of the House of Lords prepare for the debate on the speech. They do not constitute official information about the government’s intentions or provide a complete list of bills to be announced.
King's Speech 2024: Culture, media and sport (306 KB , PDF)
The Education (Assemblies) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat). It would repeal the requirement for schools in England without a designated religious character to provide daily acts of collective religious worship. In its place, the bill would establish a new duty to provide non-religious assemblies which develop the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural education of pupils.
![Education (Assemblies) Bill [HL]:HL Bill 35 of 2024-25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Government-VIGS-568x426.jpg)
Over the last three decades, the number of bank branches in the UK has declined due to advances in technology and changing customer habits. Stakeholders have argued that these closures have negatively affected rural communities. In recent years, successive governments and the Financial Conduct Authority have taken action aimed at ensuring sufficient access to banking services, including for rural communities. This briefing provides an overview of these measures, as well as information on the number of bank closures and their impact on rural communities.
Holocaust Memorial Day takes place each year on 27 January, marking the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1945. It commemorates the Holocaust during the second world war and subsequent genocides. This year’s commemoration was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia. In 2025, King Charles III became the first British head of state to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
