King Charles III today delivered the State Opening of Parliament, setting out the UK Government's legislative programme for the year ahead against a backdrop of acute geopolitical and economic pressure.

The King’s Speech was framed around what His Majesty described as "an increasingly dangerous and volatile world", with every element of the nation's "energy, defence and economic security" set to be tested. 

A total of 35 bills were announced, spanning energy independence, NHS reform, infrastructure investment, social housing, clean water, education, and public accountability. The breadth of the programme will have direct and immediate implications for public sector organisations, regulated industries and businesses. 

From the Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill's £45bn commitment to transforming connectivity across the North, to the abolition of NHS England, the creation of a new water regulator, generational reform of the SEND system, and the long-awaited introduction of the Hillsborough Law, the legislative agenda has implications for a wide range of sectors.

Browne Jacobson’s lawyers set out their initial reactions to the bills most relevant to our clients and the sectors we serve. 

Nuclear Regulation Bill 

The Nuclear Regulation Bill promises a "new era of nuclear" for safe, reliable, and clean power, with a reformed regulatory framework for the sector. 

Zoe Stollard, Partner in Energy and Infrastructure, said: “The Nuclear Regulation Bill arrives at a pivotal moment for the UK's nuclear ambitions.

“The existing regulatory framework - designed primarily for legacy large-scale plants - has struggled to adapt to the pace of development in small modular reactors and advanced nuclear technologies.

“A fit-for-purpose regulatory regime that provides investors and developers with greater certainty, without compromising on safety, is essential to unlocking the billions of pounds of private capital that nuclear requires.

“We have advised on a number of nuclear procurement and regulatory matters, and the consistent message from the market is that regulatory predictability is as important as the scale of public investment. This Bill needs to deliver both." 

Electricity Generator Levy Bill 

The Electricity Generator Levy Bill increases the levy on electricity generators to capture exceptional revenue arising from gas price spikes, with the proceeds used to support households and businesses. 

Zoe added: "An expanded Electricity Generator Levy will be unwelcome news for generators who argue, with some justification, that windfall taxation undermines the investment case for new clean energy capacity at precisely the moment when that investment is most needed. The policy trade-off is a difficult one: there is genuine public interest in capturing exceptional profits during price spikes, but repeated interventions in generator revenue streams create long-term uncertainty that increases the cost of capital for future projects.

“Any extension of the levy needs to be carefully calibrated and time-limited, with clear sunset provisions, to avoid deterring the very investment that the Energy Independence Bill is designed to attract." 

Clean Water Bill 

The Clean Water Bill creates a new Water Ombudsman and an integrated regulator to tackle pollution and strengthen drinking water protection. The government has also committed to replace Ofwat with a new body with a wider remit to oversee both the economic and environmental performance of the water industry.

Helen Gill, Principal Associate in environment, said: “The water regulatory framework is in clear need of improvement from an environmental perspective, and the case for reform is well established. The ultimate goal – cleaner rivers, lakes and seas, alongside a resilient water sector capable of meeting consumer demand and delivering reliable supply across the country – is one that everyone supports. Achieving it has proved difficult under the current system, and that is why we will be monitoring the development of this Bill very closely.

“On balance, consolidating oversight into a single regulator with both economic and environmental responsibility has identifiable positives. Bringing that expertise and knowledge together in one place should enable a more holistic and joined-up approach – one that works better for operators, consumers, and communities alike. A simpler, more coherent regulatory structure has the potential to deliver clearer accountability and more consistent outcomes across the sector.

“A new Water Ombudsman will also give consumers and communities a meaningful route to redress. The critical questions for industry will be around transition: how existing licences, permits, investment commitments and enforcement actions are treated under the new regime. Water companies and their investors will need to assess their regulatory risk profiles carefully as this legislation progresses, and we will be watching the detail of the Bill closely as it develops.”

NHS Modernisation Bill 

The NHS Modernisation Bill abolishes NHS England, shifting responsibility for health spending to ministers and local health boards, and creates a single electronic patient record. 

Gerard Hanratty, Partner and Head of Health and Life Sciences, said: “The abolition of NHS England is the most radical structural change to the health service since the Health and Social Care Act 2012, and it raises profound questions about accountability, clinical independence, and the pace of delivery.

“Moving spending decisions to ministers and local health organisations boards could unlock responsiveness to local need, but decisions that are currently at arm's length from government will now sit squarely on the desk of ministers – and that creates real political risk. The sector will need robust legal frameworks to manage this transition safely and real local collaboration is a must to realise the ambition in the Bill.

“The commitment to a single electronic patient record could ultimately prove the most transformative element of the Bill. Done properly, this goes far beyond administrative convenience.

“Taking inspiration from the banking sector's digital transformation, we could create 'digital health wallets' – secure, user-controlled platforms that put patients in charge of their own data, revolutionise self-management, and open the door to the incentivisation models that are fundamental to shifting care from sickness to prevention. That is precisely the second strategic shift the 10-Year Health Plan demands, and the single patient record is the infrastructure that will support making it possible. 

“But we should be clear-eyed about what is still required. The NHS must address data security, patient privacy, and the digital divide – and it must be transparent with the public about the benefits of data sharing. With AI earmarked for a major role in the 10-Year Health Plan, clear ethical guidelines and rigorous governance frameworks are essential.

“The history of NHS digital programmes demands we get this right. Public trust in this programme is hard-won and easily lost – the legal, contractual, and data protection architecture must be watertight before deployment at scale. The interoperability of systems is a key component to enable a single electronic patient record. The prize is enormous, an evolved flexible preventative health care system providing for local need, but so is the risk if corners are cut.” 

Public Office (Accountability) Bill 

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill – also known as the Hillsborough Law – introduces a statutory duty of candour for public servants and bodies, requiring them to tell the truth. It applies to all public bodies, including the security services. 

Ed Pollard, Partner in public healthcare at Browne Jacobson, said: “The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, also known as the Hillsborough Law, was introduced last year and is being carried out to the next Parliamentary session.

“The Bill introduces important reforms, aimed at strengthening accountability across the public sector. It establishes wide-ranging duties of candour, creates new criminal offences and introduces ‘parity of arms’ measures that will have a material impact on how NHS bodies and local authorities engage with inquiries, inquests and investigations.

"Crucially, the Bill's reach extends beyond NHS trusts and local authorities. Private healthcare organisations delivering care under a public contract – for example, treating NHS-referred patients – will also fall within scope. Therefore, they too should be reviewing their exposure now rather than waiting for the legislation to pass. 

“For NHS trusts and local authorities that regularly participate in inquests, the Bill in its current form would introduce significant formal requirements on processes that may already be governed internally by established organisational policies or ‘standard operating procedures’. 

“The introduction of an ‘always on’ duty of candour, a statutory framework governing access to legal representation, and automatic legal aid for bereaved families will necessitate careful review and, where necessary, formalisation of existing practices. At the same time, the Bill's overarching focus on transparency and openness reflects principles that should already be integral to health and social care delivery.” 

Social Housing Renewal Bill 

The Social Housing Renewal Bill increases long-term investment in social housing, protects housing stock, improves protections for domestic abuse victims, and reduces bureaucracy. 

Richard Macphail, Partner and Co-Head of Social Housing, said: "The Social Housing Renewal Bill addresses real and pressing issues – the chronic underinvestment in social housing stock, the inadequacy of existing protections for domestic abuse victims in housing, and the bureaucratic barriers that have slowed delivery for too long.

“Local authorities and registered providers will broadly welcome this, but they will want clarity on the funding mechanisms and whether central government investment will be matched by a reduction in the regulatory burden that has made development increasingly difficult.

“The enhanced protections for domestic abuse victims are particularly important and will require close collaboration between housing providers, local authorities, and support services to be effective in practice.” 

Education for All Bill 

The Education for All Bill raises school standards and reforms the SEND system, providing early support for children with special needs and making mainstream settings more inclusive. 

Hayley O’Sullivan, Principal Associate in SEND matters, said: “The SEND system has been in crisis for years: underfunded, inconsistent, and too often letting down children and families at their most vulnerable.

“The Education for All Bill's focus on early intervention and greater inclusion in mainstream settings is the right direction of travel, but much of what has been announced today is reflective of the consultation proposals already published in the Department for Education's 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving' white paper. 

“We await the full Bill that will contain the detail of how these reforms will actually work in practice, and it is that detail, on implementation, funding and, above all, where legal duties will fall, that will determine whether this legislation delivers real change. 

“Our most recent School Leaders Survey, which captures the views of leaders representing more than half a million pupils in England, tells a stark story. Nine in 10 school and trust leaders believe the proposed SEND reforms will add to their workload, with 76% expecting a significant increase. Meanwhile, 68% do not believe the combined £11bn funding package, £7bn for SEND support and £4n to prepare schools for reform, is sufficient to bring the government's ambitions to life in their school or trust. Only 3% think it is enough. 

“The tone of the proposed reforms appears to shift responsibility for SEND provision from local authorities to schools. School leaders are prepared to step up, and there is broad agreement that being part of a trust can help, with 62% saying trust membership would significantly or somewhat improve their SEND offer. But willingness alone is not enough: government must match that commitment with sufficient, sustained funding and practical guidance if the ambition for a more inclusive mainstream system is to be realised. 

“We would also expect a fairly lengthy lead-in period before many of these reforms take effect, consistent with the timings indicated in the consultation. The gap between legislative ambition and classroom reality has been a recurring problem in SEND reform. Schools and local authorities need adequate resourcing, training and support to deliver on the Bill's objectives. Without it, the risk is that new duties simply create more grounds for legal challenge without improving outcomes for children. Legislation alone is not enough.”