The Kings Speech – What’s in it for BASW?

On Wednesday 17th July, King Charles opened the UK Parliament and delivered his speech outlining the government’s legislative plans for the year ahead.

While BASW is concerned with legislation that affects social work practice and issues that affect people social workers work with, there will be other pieces of proposed legislation that are worth noting.

1. Renters Rights Bill

This legislation will build on the work undertaken in the previous parliamentary session to provide those in the private rented sector with greater protections. In the Labour Party’s manifesto, they state they will “immediately abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against, empower them to challenge unreasonable rent increases, and take steps to raise standards, including extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the private sector.”

The previous Government’s Bill did not become an Act and was about half way through its legislative scrutiny journey when Rishi Sunak announced the general election. Although there will likely be many similarities to the previous iteration of this Bill, Labour intends to speed up the scrapping of Section 21.

2. Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

This legislation will give the police, Border Force and intelligence officers working under the new Border Security Command powers to treat people smugglers like terrorists. It will allow officers and investigators to use serious crime prevention orders against suspected people smugglers. It will also enable law enforcement to place conditions on travel in the UK or abroad and on people's access to the internet and banking. The counter-terror laws will include stop and search powers for border officers and allow data found on mobile devices to be used in prosecutions.

Recent immigration legislation has included provisions affecting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children so we’ll have to wait for the Bill detail to know how far this could impact social work.

3. Children’s Wellbeing Bill

The King’s Speech said the Bill will raise standards in education and promote children’s wellbeing. This is likely to be a significant Bill will lots of different parts, including advertising regulation, children not in school, free breakfast for primary school children, and the national curriculum.

The title suggests that there may be interest for social workers in the contents of the Bill but we’ll need to wait for the Bill to know for sure.

4. Mental Health Bill

Reform to the Mental Health Act, which was repeatedly delayed by the previous Government, is included. The legislation will aim to see fewer people detained, give them more say over their treatment and deal with racial disparities that mean black people are four times more likely to be held under the current act.

Mental health is a key part of social work, and many AMHPs are social workers. We contributed to the Draft Mental Health Bill pre-legislative scrutiny including BASW UK Chief Executive Dr Ruth Allen giving oral evidence to the committee. This will be a major piece of work in the year ahead.

5. Draft Conversion Practices Bill

There is little information about what the Bill may contain but is expected to ban conversion therapy for LGBT people.

6. Hillsborough Law

This legislation will introduce a statutory duty of candour on public servants during all forms of public inquiry and criminal investigation, and provide legal aid for victims of disasters or state-related deaths This was in our manifesto and is a key campaign for BASW England.

What about outside of England?

The King said in his speech:

My government will strengthen its work with the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland so that the best outcomes possible are delivered for citizens across the United Kingdom. My Ministers will establish a new Council of the Nations and Regions to renew opportunities for the Prime Minister, heads of devolved governments and mayors of combined authorities to collaborate with each other.

My government will continue to support the political institutions and devolved government in Northern Ireland. In consultation with all parties, measures will be brought forward to begin the process of repealing and replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 [Northern Ireland Legacy Legislation].