Scottish Secretary responds to the King’s Speech

Speaking after the King’s Speech, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: 

“This is a King’s Speech which will deliver the change our country needs. It will deliver for all four nations of the UK and all four corners of Scotland. 

“We have a bold and ambitious legislative programme which will ensure we deliver on our mandate. 

“Our plans will deliver growth and jobs for our economy. It will establish GB Energy, a publicly owned energy generation company which will create jobs and cut bills for good, and establish a National Wealth Fund to invest in the industries and jobs of the future.

“The King’s Speech also delivers the biggest transfer of power towards working people in a generation, with new rights on sick pay and redundancy, and better pay. It will ban exploitative zero hour contracts and increase the minimum wage to a real living wage. A better deal for working people, with less insecurity and more money in their pockets, is the first step towards reducing poverty in Scotland and across the UK. 

“We have been clear that we want to reset our relationship with the Scottish Government, and to work together to deliver better outcomes for people. Our rail ownership bill will ensure that ScotRail is kept in public hands, and we want to work with the Scottish Government to pass laws that will reduce the availability of addictive vapes to young people.

“We promised change. This King’s speech demonstrates we are rolling up our sleeves and delivering that change.”

Bills which will apply in Scotland:

1. Renters Rights Bill [only in respect of discrimination against tenants on benefits or with children]
2. National Wealth Fund Bill
3. Pensions Schemes Bill
4. Planning and Infrastructure Bill [some measures]
5. Employment Rights Bill
6. Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill
7. Railways Bill 
8. Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill
9. Product Safety and Metrology Bill
10. Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill 
11. Armed Forces Commissioner Bill 
12. Digital Information and Smart Data Bill 
13. Draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill
14. Great British Energy Bill
15. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (Revenue support Mechanism) Bill 
16. Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill [Reintroduced] 
17. Draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill 
18. Tobacco and Vapes Bill [Reintroduced] 
19. House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill
20. Cyber Security and Resilience Bill 
21. Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill
22. Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension) Bill
23. Budget Responsibility Bill
24. Hillsborough Law [Public Candour] Bill [TBC – territorial extent to be determined]