The long awaited Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Draft Bill, commonly referred to as Martyn’s Law, is proposed UK legislation to enhance public security in publicly accessible locations. Named after Martyn Hett, tragically killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the law seeks to impose a legal duty on businesses/organisations to take measures to protect the public from terrorist attacks.
The Home Office describes the aim of the legislation as being: ‘to improve protective security and organisational preparedness at a wide range of public premises across the UK. Those responsible for certain public premises will be required to consider the threat from terrorism and implement reasonably practicable and proportionate mitigating measures. It will also establish an associated inspection and enforcement regime, which will seek to educate, advise, and ensure compliance with the requirements of the Bill.’
The Draft Bill is expected to affect approximately 300,000 premises and events in the UK. Qualifying premises include schools and universities, hospitals, theme parks, restaurants, night clubs and shopping centres. These are divided into two categories or tiers:
Standard Tier
Premises/venues with a capacity between 100 to 799 members of the public. These venues must ensure preparedness through procedural measures and staff training.
Enhanced Tier
Larger venues/premises/events with capacity of 800+ will need to undertake comprehensive security assessments, provide counter terrorism training for relevant employees, implement detailed security plans, regularly test counter terrorism security measures, and appoint a Designated Senior Individual responsible for compliance. Where necessary, they will need to introduce procedures, and install infrastructure and technology to mitigate the risks identified.
Key components of Martyn's Law include:
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Risk Assessments
The requirement to conduct thorough risk assessments to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
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Security Measures
Approportionate security measures must be implemented. This can range from physical security enhancements to routine staff training on emergency procedures.
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Emergency Planning
Duty holders must develop and maintain robust emergency plans to ensure effective incident response. This includes regular drills and effective coordination with emergency services.
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Public Awareness
Raising awareness among staff and the public about the threats and how to respond to them is crucial. This involves providing information and training to staff, ensuring everyone knows what to do in the event of an attack.
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Regulatory Oversight
The government will introduce a regulatory framework to ensure compliance with the Protect Duty, including inspections and enforcement actions for non-compliance. The Draft Bill proposes that the regulator be able to issue a maximum fixed penalty of £10,000 for a Standard Tier premises, and up to £18 million or five percent of global revenue for Enhanced Tier premises.
Vedette Support – How we can help you:
Vedette has a wealth of experience in counter terrorism, employing world leading experts on the subject. We work with organisations that encounter extraordinary risk to ensure that these are managed and mitigated effectively. With extensive experience of work with the blue light services, Vedette is perfectly placed to ensure an organisation or event is thoroughly prepared to comply with Martyn’s Law legislation and help keep the public safe. We can then ensure that this readiness is maintained as your staff experience skill fade and natural churn.
If you already have a plan that you believe caters with the demands of Martyn’s Law, Vedette has a range of tools, and the experts to use them, so that your plan can be tested for resilience.