Protect Duty plans unveiled

Draft Protect Duty Legislation is set to be published in the spring.

The government has said that the law will require venues and local authorities to set out preventative action plans against terror attacks. The law will cover the whole of the UK.

The announcement follows a public consultation in which 70 per cent of respondents said that officials responsible for publicly accessible locations should take measures to protect the public from potential attacks.

The Home Office said: “The new duty will require venues to take steps to improve public safety, with measures dependent on the size of the venue and the activity taking place. Recent attacks demonstrate that terrorists may choose to target a broad range of locations. Martyn’s law will ensure that security preparedness is delivered consistently across the UK, ensuring better protection of the public.”

Protect Duty is nicknamed "Martyn's Law", after Martyn Hett, who was killed at the Manchester Arena attack. His mother, Figen Murray, has campaigned for Martyn's Law. Murray said: "Martyn’s law isn’t going to stop terrorism, but common-sense security and making sure venues are doing all they can to keep people safe could mean fewer suffer what myself and the families of Manchester have had to endure.

“I welcome the government’s commitment to including smaller venues and working quickly on this legislation. It is vital we now take the necessary steps to protect ourselves and others wherever possible and I hope other countries learn from this groundbreaking legislation.”

The legislation will work on a tiered model, linked to the type of activity taking place and the size of the expected audience. The standard tier will apply to publicly accessible locations with a maximum capacity of more than 100 people, with the enhanced tier applying to high-capacity locations.

Prime minister, Rishi Sunak said: “The way the city of Manchester came together as a community in the wake of the cowardly Manchester Arena attack, and the amazing work of campaigners like Figen Murray who have dedicated their lives to making us safer and promoting kindness and tolerance, is an inspiration to us all.

“I am committed to working with Figen to improve security measures at public venues and spaces and to delivering this vital legislation to honour Martyn’s memory and all of those affected by terrorism.”

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