Research briefing setting out the government’s commitments covering devolved affairs for the House of Lords debate on the 2024 King’s Speech.
King’s Speech 2024: Devolved affairs (339 KB , PDF)
In 2023, Sir Keir Starmer said that a “take back control bill” would be a centre piece of a Labour government’s first King’s Speech. Mr Starmer said Labour would spread out control from Westminster and devolve new powers to communities. In its 2024 general election manifesto, the Labour Party made commitments to devolve new powers to local areas in England over employment support, transport, education and housing and to reset UK-devolved government relationships. The Labour Party has also committed to repealing and replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
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: Devolved affairs (339 KB , PDF)
In March 1925, the House of Lords debated a motion calling for legislation to be introduced to reform the House of Lords. Whilst composition was among the issues raised, debate focused on the loss of the House’s powers, which were curtailed by the Parliament Act 1911. The 1911 act had also called for the House to be reconstituted on a popular rather than hereditary basis. This briefing looks back at the discussion.
UK prime ministers may draw up a resignation honours list on their departure from office, in which they may request that the reigning monarch grant honours to any number of people. Such honours may include peerages, knighthoods and damehoods, or other awards. However, not all have chosen to draw up such a list. This briefing lists those prime ministers who have requested that peerages be conferred on their departure from office.
The House of Lords Constitution Committee has re-examined relations between the UK government and devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland following the introduction of new intergovernmental relations structures in January 2022 and its own earlier inquiry on the subject. In a report published in September 2024, the committee urged the government to add a new principle of positive engagement to the principles underpinning the new structures.
