As Parliament rises for conference recess, there are currently 13 Government bills awaiting second reading: 4 in the Commons and 9 in the Lords. These include the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill (8 October), the Renters’ Rights Bill (9 October) and the House of Lords Hereditary Peers bill (15 October) and bills on railways, water, and energy.

We await the introduction of flagship policy bills on employment rights (the only Labour manifesto pledge for its first 100 days), planning and infrastructure, and English devolution.

This bill gives the UK Government (UKG) specific powers to make changes to GB legislation to manage divergence and take a UK-wide approach. The UKG has chosen to make the changes to the product safety regime through primary legislation, with the details left to secondary legislation, on which they have promised to consult - also to seek legislative consent from devolved governments for those aspects of the bill that fall within their competence.

The bill covers the marketing or use of products in the UK, units of measurement and the quantities in which goods are marketed. The intention is to enable the UK to maintain high product standards, supporting businesses and economic growth, by allowing the UK Parliament the power to update relevant laws.The aim is to be able to adapt to new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as to reflect the shift in both what consumers buy and how they buy.

As most product safety legislation falls within scope of the Windsor Framework, EU changes to product regulation only apply in Northern Ireland, resulting in divergence within the UK internal market as EU laws are updated. As required under the Windsor Framework (Constitutional Status of Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024, the Minister in charge of the bill will need to make a written statement about its consistency with the UK internal market. HMG have determined that the bill does contain provisions that affect trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK but state that the provision(s) will not have a significant adverse effect on such trade.

An impact assessment was published alongside the Bill, which is currently with the independent better regulation watchdog, the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) who will assess what the proposals will mean for businesses and civil society.

Described as ‘the first step towards modernisation’, this narrowly focused bill removes the remaining connection between hereditary peerage and membership of the House of Lords - to abolish the jurisdiction of the House of Lords in relation to claims to hereditary peerages. A date for the second reading has yet to be set.

The bill makes provision to change the law on rented homes, including provision abolishing fixed term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies; imposing obligations on landlords and others in relation to rented homes and temporary and supported accommodation, including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.

The bill applies to England only as housing is a devolved matter. Scotland and Wales have already introduced legislation to implement a new framework for the sector – both have introduced comprehensive landlord registration schemes.

The previous government introduced a renters’ (reform) bill in May 2023 but the proposed rights were weakened during the bill’s passage through Parliament, and the bill fell away during wash up before the General Election.

Social Fund Winter Fuel Payments

On 16 September 2024, the government approved the use of the urgency exemption in section 173 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to make and lay the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024.

Since 1998 the Winter Fuel Payment has been given to all in receipt of the state pension regardless of other income. The new Regulations introduce a means test, by limiting the payment to those of pensionable age in England and Wales who also receive specified benefits.

The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Committee (SLC) criticised the government for the lack of information provided around the impact of the policy change. In supplementary material, the Department for Work and Pensions told the Committee it estimates that only 1.5 million individuals will now be eligible for the payment, down from 10.8 million who received it in winter 2023–24.

The SLC remain unconvinced by the reasons given for the urgency attached to laying the Regulations and are particularly concerned that this both precludes appropriate scrutiny and creates issues with the practicalities of bringing in the change at short notice.

These points were raised in an Opposition debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday 10 September 2024. In the vote that followed, the motion to block the change was defeated by 348 to 228 votes. The next day at PMQs, leader of the Opposition, Rishi Sunak asked again for an impact assessment.

The new regulations entered into force on Monday, 16 September 2024.

On 11 September 2024 the Speaker of the House announced the results of the elections for the select committee chairs related to government departments:

• Business and Trade (Labour): Liam Byrne MP

• Defence (Labour): Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP

• Education (Labour): Helen Hayes MP

• Energy Security and Net Zero (Labour): Bill Esterson MP

• Foreign Affairs (Labour): Emily Thornberry MP

• Home Affairs (Conservative): Dame Karen Bradley MP

• Housing, Communities and Local Government (Labour): Florence Eshalomi MP

• International Development (Labour): Sarah Champion MP

• Justice (Labour): Andy Slaughter MP

• Science, Innovation and Technology (Labour): Chi Onwurah MP

• Scottish Affairs (Labour): Patricia Ferguson MP  

• Transport (Labour): Ruth Cadbury MP

• Women and Equalities (Labour): Sarah Owen MP

• Work and Pensions (Labour): Debbie Abrahams MP

The election results follow the Speaker’s announcement on Monday 9 September 2024 of chairs elected unopposed.

• Culture, Media and Sport (Conservative): Dame Caroline Dinenage MP

• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Liberal Democrat): Mr Alistair Carmichael MP

• Health and Social Care (Liberal Democrat): Layla Moran MP

• Northern Ireland Affairs (Labour): Tonia Antoniazzi MP

• Treasury (Labour): Dame Meg Hillier MP

• Welsh Affairs (Labour): Ruth Jones MP

• Petitions (Liberal Democrat): Jamie Stone MP

Once select committee chairs have been elected, each political party can then elect MPs from their party to serve on select committees.

The newly elected chairs will play a pivotal role in scrutinising the government. To find out what this means for committee dynamics, sign up here for the latest Hansard society podcast, and listen to their interview with Dr. Marc Geddes, a leading expert on Select Committees.

Modernisation Committee

On 25 July 2024, the House of Commons (HOC) approved a motion to establish a cross party Modernisation Committee tasked with reforming HOC procedures, driving up standards and improving working standards.

On 12 September 2024, Committee Chair and Leader of the House, Lucy Powell published a Memorandum setting out their key strategic aims and initial priorities - with a renewed emphasis on how MPs can be better supported to scrutinise the Government programme meaningfully and effectively.

Ahead of the autumn budget (30 October 2024), her aim was to alert fellow MPs and Ministers of the approaching cliff edge in March 2025; and discuss the Fund’s merits and experiences of implementation; and the new Labour government’s approach to local growth funds.

Highlighting the challenges of short time scales, she endorsed the Local Government Association’s call for future funding on a six to eight year cycle, the removal of the restriction that skills be addressed in year 3, streamlining the reporting process, and ending the delays to distributing the funds. To avoid the cliff edge Lauren Edwards recommended the Budget should include provision for an additional year of flexible funding.

Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, newly elected Labour MP for Glasgow South West, noted that Scotland had been a beneficiary of the SPF to the tune of £212 million since 2022, with over £70 million allocated to the city of Glasgow.

The Welsh Government’s(WG) report covers the period up to the announcement of the General Election on 4 July 2024. They have continued their policy of only making use of REUL Act powers to amend Welsh-made legislation in a proportionate and judicious manner where there are benefits to Wales. They have focused on delivering their own legislative programme and Programme for Government. The WG had not identified any benefit to Wales from the use of REUL Act powers during the reporting period. However the WG stand ready to work closely with the new UKG on their plans for regulation, including any anticipated use of powers in the REUL Act.

In their report the Scottish government’s (SG) Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee confirmed that no Scottish Statutory Instruments (“SSIs”) had been made in the reporting period, nor were there any live consultation processes with a particular focus on assimilated law reform. In the covering letter, Angus Robertson reiterated the SG approach of finding consensus and forging constructive relationships, including joint working and cooperation on a voluntary basis - in a way that respects devolved decision-making, with the HMG’s future treatment of assimilated law respecting devolution and, as part of that, the SG’s alignment policy

The Civil Society Alliance has commissioned an independent, in-depth research report to raise awareness of the implications of the implementation of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (‘the REUL Act’) for the devolved settlements.  This report explores the tensions between the UKG and devolved governments that have arisen because of previous regulatory strategies. Looking ahead it provides an extensive checklist of issues that should be considered when developing a new approach to regulation – including regulatory divergence, Common Frameworks, the UK Internal Market, the Windsor Framework, and Britain’s future relationship with the EU.

The report will be published in the autumn. If you would like to be invited to the launch event(s) please contact us at info@civilsocietyalliance.uk

Max Roche presented Unchecked UK’s latest analysis of how the mainstream media talks about regulation, including fresh insights into the tensions and opportunities at the heart of this coverage.

Ed Hodgson, More in Common, reflected on why public support really matters to this government and how we can best use polling evidence showing strong levels of public backing for protections.

Dora Meade, New Economy Organisers Network (NEON), explained how the protections movement can put forward its best message in a way that is likely to gain traction in the media.

Shifting the narrative on regulations needs a shared voice and a common language. Please help support the protections movement, starting by signing up to the Unchecked Reframing Regulation substack.

Pathways to Trusteeship programme has launched!

Are you a charity leader, charity trustee or Chair of a board who could provide 18 - 30 year olds from minoritised ethnic backgrounds the following opportunities:

• Shadowing: the chance for a young person to observe and engage in a full year’s cycle of board meetings and activities, giving them first-hand insights into trusteeship.

• Mentoring: Allocate a trustee from your board to mentor a young person, and work with them around board meetings to understand more about governance, decision-making, and strategic planning.

If you’re interested in:

• Helping create more diverse and representative trustee boards

• Contributing to the professional development of young, eager individuals.

• Gaining fresh perspectives from the next generation of leader.

Please contact Action for Trustee Racial Diversity at pathway-atrd@outlook.com and/or fill in the form.

Planning ahead for Parliamentary recess

Leader of the House, Lucy Powell, has announced the full list of dates when Parliament will be in recess between now and summer 2025.