The UK government has published the draft Terrorism Bill.
The UK government has published the draft Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, which outlines the requirements that venues and organisations must meet to ensure public safety under Martyn's Law. The legislation is named after Martyn Hett, who was one of 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017. Martyn's Law aims to improve public safety by ensuring that venues and organisations are prepared and ready to respond in the event of an attack.
The legislation proposes a tiered model for certain locations, depending on the capacity of the premises or event and the activity taking place. The standard tier will apply to public premises with a maximum capacity of 100 or more people, whilst the enhanced tier applies to public premises and events with a maximum capacity of 800 or more people. Limited exemptions to the capacity requirements apply to education establishments and places of worship.
Standard-tier premises will be required to undertake basic, low-cost activities to improve their preparedness, including terrorism protection training and evaluating the best procedures to put in place in order to minimise impact. Enhanced tier premises and events have further requirements in recognition of the potential consequences of a successful attack. This will include appointing a designated senior officer who must regularly review the security of the venue.
The draft bill will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by the Home Affairs Select Committee before it is formally introduced. The government is committed to working closely with businesses and other stakeholders to ensure that the legislation is proportionate while also being effective. Dedicated guidance and support will be provided to ensure those in scope can meet their responsibilities.
The government has developed Martyn's Law following extensive consultation with the public, businesses and campaign groups. The legislation has received significant support, with the majority of people agreeing that those responsible for publicly accessible locations should take measures to protect the public from potential attacks.
Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett, has been one of the campaigners for Martyn's Law. She has worked tirelessly with the government to ensure that the bill is delivered, and publishing the draft legislation is a credit to her efforts. In a statement, Murray said that Martyn's Law will "end the ridiculous situation where venues have legal obligations for how many toilets they have but no obligation to keep their customers protected."
The introduction of Martyn's Law is a significant step forward in improving public safety in the UK. By ensuring that venues and organisations are prepared and ready to respond in the event of an attack, the legislation will make crowded places better protected and prepared and make the terrorists' job a bit harder.
