Research briefing setting out the government’s commitments covering culture, media and sport for the House of Lords debate on the 2024 King’s Speech.
King's Speech 2024: Culture, media and sport (306KB PDF)
Labour’s manifesto committed to reform of gambling regulation to reduce gambling-related harm and the introduction of legislation to reform football governance, which it said would include the establishment of a new football regulator. Work on these areas was already in train under the previous Conservative government. Indeed, Labour had indicated backing for the Football Governance Bill introduced by the Conservative government in the 2023–24 parliamentary session and a gambling reform white paper introduced in April 2023.
In addition, Labour has set out policies to support the creative industries and improve access to arts and music. This includes potential curriculum changes to support children studying creative subjects at school and introducing new consumer protections on ticket resales to reduce the impact of ticket touting.
The Library’s briefings for the King’s Speech draw on the Labour Party’s manifesto and other material in the public domain. They have been written in advance of the 2024 King’s Speech to help members of the House of Lords prepare for the debate on the speech. They do not constitute official information about the government’s intentions or provide a complete list of bills to be announced.
King's Speech 2024: Culture, media and sport (306KB PDF)
In January 2026, the government announced a new scheme to support urgent repairs and essential improvements to listed places of worship. Called the ‘Places of worship renewal fund for England’, it replaced the ‘Listed places of worship grant scheme’ which had run since 2001. This briefing provides an overview of both schemes, the government’s reasoning for the change and the reaction of stakeholders.
There have been big differences in expenditure across different forms of healthcare for a number of years. In 2024/25, spending on acute care was £74.7bn, compared to £14.5bn on primary care and £13.8bn on community services. Both the 2024 Labour Party manifesto and the subsequent 10 year health plan for England contained an emphasis on shifting towards more care being delivered in local communities rather than in acute settings, dubbed a ‘neighbourhood health service’.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as ME or chronic fatigue syndrome, is a long-term health condition that is estimated to affect over 400,000 people in the UK. It is a fluctuating condition with symptoms including fatigue, sleep problems and brain fog. In 2025 the government published its final delivery plan on ME, which aimed to improve care and support for those with the condition.
