A step further forward for Martyn’s Law as government launches consultation

A six-week consultation has been initiated for Martyn’s Law, a new anti-terror legislation aimed at enhancing national security. The legislation, named in memory of Martyn Hett, a victim of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, seeks to strengthen preparedness and protection measures against terrorist threats.

The consultation, launched earlier this week, focuses on gathering public input and feedback on the proposed legislation. Martyn’s Law aims to strike a balance between bolstering the country’s defences against terrorism and ensuring that smaller businesses are not unnecessarily burdened by the new requirements.

Under Martyn’s Law, premises will be categorised into ‘standard tier’ and ‘enhanced tier’ based on their capacity, with specific requirements tailored to each tier. The consultation particularly seeks input from those responsible for smaller premises, including those in the community and voluntary sector, to ensure that the legislation’s impact is proportionate and effective.

“Simple steps save lives. Martyn’s Law will help protect the British public from terrorism, and make sure public premises are better prepared in the event of a terror attack.

“I want to make sure that our proposals are balanced and proportionate. That’s why our updated approach is easy to implement, and better tailored to individual businesses.

“I’d encourage smaller premises to share their feedback on these crucial changes. Your feedback will help ensure that Martyn’s Law stands the test of time.”

Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat.

The updated requirements, outlined in the consultation, prioritise outcomes over processes for smaller businesses. Specific terrorism training requirements will be replaced, and premises owners will be tasked with implementing procedures like evacuation and lock-ins in the event of an attack.

The revised ‘reasonably practicable’ approach is aligned with other regulatory regimes, such as Health and Safety, emphasising the assessment and implementation of suitable procedures based on individual circumstances. A regulator for Martyn’s Law will be established to monitor compliance and provide guidance to premises within its scope.

Premises falling within the standard tier will be required to notify the regulator of their inclusion in the legislation. The proposed approach is designed to incur low to no financial cost, with associated costs mainly attributed to the time needed to communicate changes to staff.

Upon conclusion of the consultation process, the bill will be introduced to parliament at the earliest available time.

Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray OBE, spoke to Catherine Levin, Editor of Emergency Services Times about her journey from therapist to campaigner and her drive to make sure that staff in venues like the Manchester Arena can better respond when the worst happens. Read the full article here.