After watching the 2nd reading of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill by the Home Secretary and listening to other MP's comments here is my take home.
The second reading of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill in Parliament marked a significant moment for enhancing public safety, particularly in crowded venues and live events. Known as Martyn's Law, the bill is named in honor of Martyn Hett, who tragically died in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. His mother, Figen Murray OBE, has been a key advocate for the legislation, attending the reading as part of her ongoing campaign to improve security at public venues. I believe all in the events industry must praise and look up to Figen for all of her work in this legislation.
The bill establishes a tiered approach to security based on venue capacity. Venues expecting between 200-799 attendees fall under the "Standard Duty" category and must implement simple, reasonably practicable measures like evacuation procedures, invacuation procedures and lockdown procedures. Larger venues and events (with 800+ attendees) fall under the "Enhanced Duty" category and must adopt more stringent protective measures, such as installing CCTV and appointing a senior individual responsible for compliance.
For the live events industry, the bill introduces new responsibilities, especially for larger events. Organizers must consider the risk of terrorist attacks and how to mitigate them, potentially increasing costs and operational complexity. However, the bill aims to ensure that these measures are proportionate and adaptable to each venue’s circumstances, seeking to avoid overly burdensome regulations.
I like many are following these proceedings very closely and the overall consensus I have is positive. I believe there is still a long road to go with this legislation and key things will need to be defined. For Example;
● The term "immediate vicinity" is used 19 times in the draft bill with no clear definition of what classes as immediate vicinity
● The draft bill mentions training but doesn't specifically specify what training i.e Spectator Safety, ACT, Crowd Safety Management
● The named regulator has been announced as the Security Industry Authority and whilst funding may be injected into the SIA they currently are unable to fully oversee an already problematic industry.
● The term "Competent Person" is used frequently but again no clear definition of what constitues a Competent Person
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill is needed and is an amazing step forward in the events industry. With that said it must be fit for purpose.