This Lords Library briefing has been prepared in advance of the forthcoming Queen’s Speech, which is due to take place on 21 June 2017. The House of Lords is due to debate the Queen’s Speech over five days between 22 and 29 June 2017. This briefing is one of five prepared by the House of Lords Library to cover the themes of each day of debate.
Queen's Speech 2017 Day 2 (7MB PDF)
The Conservative Party won the largest number of seats at the 2017 general election, but did not secure an overall majority in the House of Commons. At the time of writing, the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party were in negotiations regarding a potential coalition or confidence and supply arrangement. Any agreement between the parties will have implications for which proposals the Government will bring forward. However, in lieu of any agreement, the Conservatives may seek to govern without a majority, which again will affect the contents of the Queen’s Speech. The Labour Party has said it will table an amendment, setting out its own programme for government.
In this context, this briefing sets out commitments in the Conservative Party manifesto for each policy area to be debated, together with relevant policy and legislative proposals made by the previous Conservative Government. It does not constitute official information about the Government’s intentions or provide a complete list of bills to be announced. This briefing also highlights sections of the Democratic Unionist Party manifesto, and comments or material from opposition parties, which may be helpful in establishing which Conservative proposals will be put forward in the Queen’s Speech. Again, this does not constitute official information about the forthcoming legislative programme, rather it is provided with the aim of indicating the policy intentions of parties prior to the general election.
The Government announced on 17 June 2017 that the forthcoming parliamentary session would last two years to “give MPs enough time to fully consider the laws required to make Britain ready for Brexit”.
Queen's Speech 2017 Day 2 (7MB PDF)
The Sovereign Grant Bill is a government bill which would amend how the sovereign grant is set. This is a grant paid to the King to support the work of the sovereign. The bill would enable the size of the sovereign grant to be reduced following the completion of a 10-year works project on Buckingham Palace. The bill received cross-party support and was not amended in the House of Commons.
The Commercial Payments Bill [HL] seeks to tackle late payments to small businesses. It would impose minimum payment periods for invoices, prohibit the use of retentions in construction contracts and provide the small business commissioner with greater powers. The bill received an unopposed second reading in the House of Lords on 9 June 2026. 30 government amendments were made to the bill at committee stage.
![Commercial Payments Bill [HL]: Progress in the Lords](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Business-VIGs-568x426.jpg)
The Microplastic Filters (Washing Machines) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative). It would require new washing machines to have filters to capture microfibres, a form of microplastic shed from synthetic clothing. It would also impose a duty on the secretary of state to promote awareness of microfibre pollution. The bill’s second reading in the House of Lords is scheduled for 11 September 2026.
![Microplastic Filters (Washing Machines) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 21 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Environment-568x426.png)