The King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on 13 May 2026 contains Bills for the new Parliamentary Session that can be grouped under 5 headings : Strengthening Economic Security, Ending the Opportunity Crisis, Strengthening Public Services and Reforming the State, Energy Security, and National Security.

ECONOMIC SECURITY : Bills include on nationalisation of the steel industry, northern powerhouse rail, small business protections, clean water, competition reform, regulation and regulators, financial services, highways financing for large scale road infrastructure, and an overnight visitor levy.

OPPORTUNITY : Bills include SOCIAL HOUSING RENEWAL, to increase long-term investment in social housing and protect social housing stock, reforming the leasehold system, raising school standards and reforming SEN, electoral reform, remediation of unsafe cladding, banning ticket touts, and supporting sporting events.

PUBLIC SERVICES : Bills include Police Reform, NHS modernisation, railways, digital access to services, Courts modernisation, taxis and private hire vehicles, civil aviation, and (carried over ) a DUTY OF CANDOUR FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS, the so-called Hillsborough Law, with reform of the offence of MISCONDUCT IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

ENERGY SECURITY : Bills include an Energy Independence Bill , to scale-up HOMEGROWN RENEWABLE ENERGY, nuclear energy generation, and electricity generator levy.

NATIONAL SECURITY : Bills include tackling State threats,  improving the Armed Forces service justice system, a new National Security Bill, and cyber security and resilience. Also included under this heading is an IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM Bill. This includes a new IMMIGRATION APPEALS BODY and LIMITING THE DEFINITION OF “ FAMILY LIFE” under ECHR Article 8.

Part 1 ( Sections 1-20) of the ENGLISH DEVOLUTION AND COMMUNITY EMPWERMENT ACT 2026 relates to STRATEGIC AUTHORITIES and their areas of competence, including combined authorities and combined county authorities. the GLC and Mayors. Part 2 ( Sections 21-58) relates to functions, including transport and local infrastructure, skills and employment support, housing and strategic planning, economic development and regeneration, health and well-being, public safety and culture, of Strategic Authorities and Mayors, including Mayoral power of gegeneral and other competence. Part 3 ( Sections59-88) contains other measures about local authorities and Police & Crime Commissioners, including reorganisation into SINGLE TIERS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, governance, elections councillors, grants, ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE, parking on footways and verges, and LICENSING of taxis and private hire vehicles and of gambling premises. Part 4 (sections 89-99) relates to LOCAL AUDIT, and Part 5 (Section 100) to tenancies.

The CRIME & POLICING ACT  2026 has been enacted. It has 257 Sections and 27 Schedules. Some provisions have come into force. Some others will do so next month.

Part 1 relates to anti-social behaviour, including respect orders, youth injunctions and housing injunctions; Part 2 to offensive weapons; Part 3 to retail crime; Part 4 to criminal exploitation of children and others; Part 5 to sexual offences and offenders; Part 6 to stalking.; Part 7 to other provisions for the protection of persons; Part 8 to offences relating to racial and other hostility; Part 9 to prevention of theft and fraud; Part 10 to public order; Part 11 to police powers; Part 12 to proceeds of crime; Part 13 to management of offenders; Part 14 to the Police; Part 15 to terrorism and national security; and Part 16 to abortion.

Part 1 of the 172 Section  CRIME & POLICING ACT 2026, with 18 Schedules, relates to ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Part 4 to CHILD CRIMINAL EXPLOITATION and Part 9 to PUBLIC ORDER.

The Law Society has, on 26 March 2026, published a Practice Note highlighting where distinct Welsh law differs from the law in England and providing guidance for identifying the correct legal framework.

Orders have been made in relation to the Counties of Ceredigion and Swansea : Sis 2026/94 & 95.

On 25 March 2026, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has made a STATEMENT announcing DECISIONS in relation to :-

Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock

Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton

Norfolk

Suffolk

The Surrey ( Structural Changes ) Order 2026, S.I. 2026/264,pursuant to the Local Government etc Act 2007, gives effect to the establishment and implementation of SINGLE TIERS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT in East and west Surrey from 1 April 2027, and makes provision for transitional arrangements, shadow authorities and electoral matters.

The LGPS Regulations 2013 are further amended, from 1 April 2026, by the LGPS ( Miscellaneous Amendments ) ( Member Benefits ) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/226.

The ( draft ) Sussex & Brighton COMBINED COUNTY AUTHORITY Regulations 2026, pursuant to the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023 establish the Combined County Authority (CCA) as a body corporate for the areas of Brighton & Hove City Council. East Sussex & West Sussex, with a CONSTITUTION set out in the Schedule to the Regulations, and confer upon the CCA FUNCTIONS of local and other public authorities. Part 3 of the Regulations provided for the election of the MAYOR and for the appointment of a POLITICAL ADVISER to the Mayor. Part 4 confers functions relating to TRANSPORT. Part 5 sets out the functions which are to be EXERCISABLE ONLY BY THE MAYOR and makes provision in relation to JOINT COMMITTEES. Part 6 relates to FUNDING by the CONSTITUENT COUNCILS. Part 7 confers additional functions to be exercisable by the CCA CONCURRENTLY WITH THE CONSTITUENT COUNCILS, including functions related to ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and DATA SHARING>