Net zero, building safety, skills and flexible working by default: The Queen’s Speech and what it means for the workplace and facilities profession

News

Today’s Queen’s Speech, marking the beginning of the new parliamentary session, outlined the Government’s future priorities and the raft of legislation it plans to introduce in the coming session.

IWFM CEO, Linda Hausmanis, commented:

‘As we emerge from the lockdown, the need for skilled workplace and facilities professionals who can support productivity, ensure safety and promote sustainability in organisations has never been greater. These are key challenges for today and this Queen’s speech touches them all.

‘The Building Safety Bill brings welcome clarity for the facilities and building safety managers who will gain new legal responsibilities for buildings in scope. Industry can now move forward and fulfil its obligations to deliver culture change, competence and safe homes and facilities for all.

‘The Environment Bill is more encouraging in scope than in ambition against the scale of the biggest and most important social, economic and political issue for decades. Frustratingly, we continue to wait for the delayed Heat and Buildings Strategy which could begin to guide the facilities profession and others in leading the response.

'We are disappointed by the omission from the legislative programme of the much-touted Employment Bill, with its proposed measures to protect workers' rights and reforms to insecure contracts. We urge the Government not to lose focus on these key issues and to help shape a better future of work for all.

'Lastly, we welcome the promise of greater access to upskilling announced in the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill which, as the economy recovers, will need time and stability to become embedded. We urge the Government to provide clarity on the pathways available to employers and employees alike for access to the right skills, whilst continuing to refine the apprenticeship model, opening it up to shorter courses, so that it truly reflects the needs of employers.'

Summary

Here we summarise the pledges that, if implemented, will impact the workplace and facilities management profession in the months and years ahead. Check our dedicated web hubs for regular updates and be prepared for future developments.

Climate change and the environment

Carried over from the previous session, the Environment Bill 2019-21 will play a significant role in reaching the Government’s legally-binding target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Key features include:

• new powers to set and enforce targets for air quality and particulate matter, water, biodiversity, resource efficiency and waste reduction, moving towards a circular economy;
• new producer responsibility obligations (including for construction waste) and the establishment of a deposit return scheme for bottles and cans by 2024;
• a new independent Office for Environmental Protection (replacing EU agencies) to hold government to account on reaching net zero by 2050.

Stay up to date via our sustainability web hub.

Building safety

Originally published in 2020, the Building Safety Bill is set to ‘strengthen the regulatory system for building safety, changing the industry culture and introducing rigorous safety standards for construction products and a clearer path to redress for homeowners.’
 

The bill takes forward all 53 recommendations made in the final report of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety published in May 2018 and aims to:

• establish the Building Safety Regulator to deliver a new approach to regulating the built environment;
• provide clearer accountability and stronger duties for those responsible for the safety of high-rise buildings, including the statutory new role of the Building Safety Manager which, in many cases, is likely to fall to facilities managers;
• ensure residents’ concerns are not ignored and encourage residents’ involvement in maintaining building safety;
• strengthen enforcement and sanctions to deter non-compliance with the new regime;
• develop a framework to provide national oversight of construction products and a system to oversee the whole built environment.

The final version of the bill may be some time away because the Government has yet to respond to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s report on the draft legislation, including concerns that it lacks detail on key elements of the new regime.

Stay up to date via our building safety web hub.

Skills and training

The Skills and Post-16 Education Bill aims to:

• increase employers’ involvement to ensure education and training lead to jobs that can improve productivity and fill skills gaps;
• invest in higher-level technical qualifications that provide a valuable alternative to a university degree;
• ensure people can access training and learning flexibly throughout their lives - a ‘lifetime skills guarantee’ - funded by a loan entitlement equivalent to up to four years’ learning at levels 4 to 6;
• reform funding and accountability for providers.

Public procurement

A new Procurement Bill will legislate to:

• consolidate the 350+ regulations governing public procurement and create a single, uniform framework;
• make public procurement more accessible for new entrants such as small businesses and voluntary, charitable and social enterprises;
• embed transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle; procurement data will be published and more accessible to anyone;

• make procurement rules more modern, flexible, innovative and diverse, by allowing the Government to consider wider social value when picking suppliers, and more freedom for suppliers and the public sector to work in partnership with the private sector.