There was no mention in the Queen's speech of the Employment Bill (which will, reportedly, be introduced "when the time is right").
However, a new Skills and Post-Education Bill 2021-22, which was mentioned in the speech, has now been introduced in Parliament (read below for further detail).
The government has also said that it will bring forward measures to address racial and ethnic disparities, though it is not clear what these measures will be.
Finally, new legislation to strengthen the UK's borders is promised to support the government's 'New Plan for Immigration'. New legislation will deter illegal entry to the UK and make it easier to remove individuals from the UK. A "one-stop" process will also provide that asylum and human rights claims are made and considered at the very start of the immigration process, ending the possibility of perceived "limitless appeals".
The Skills and Post-16 Education Bill 2021-22 was introduced in Parliament on 18 May 2021. It contains measures aimed at creating more routes into skilled employment and ensuring that the training on offer meets the needs of local areas. It is scheduled to have its second reading on 15 June.
The Bill contains:
- A power for the Secretary of State for Education to designate employer representative bodies to lead the development of local skills improvement plans.
- A duty for education and training providers to co-operate with employer representative bodies to develop and review local skills improvement plans, and to have regard to them when making decisions on the provision of post-16 education and training.
- Additional functions for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education in relation to new categories of technical qualifications that relate to employer-led standards and occupations.
