‘Martyn’s Law’ plans on hold due to virus
PLANS for ‘Martyn’s Law’ to better protect the public from terror attacks in crowded areas like bars and restaurants have been put on hold due to coronavirus.
But Figen Murray, the mother of Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett, from Stockport, said the Government remained fully committed to the new legislation in memory of her son.
It comes days after Manchester and the world observed the third anniversary of the Arena atrocity on May 22, which claimed 22 lives and left many hundreds more injured.
The law, for public venues and crowded spaces, was due to go out to public consultation in the spring.
It would be known as the Protect Duty - a legal duty, set out in primary legislation - for venue operators and owners to consider the risk of a terrorist attack and take proportionate and reasonable measures to prepare for, and protect the public, from such an attack.
The government said it would seek views from a ‘broad range’ of organisations including business, public authorities, the security industry and campaign groups to fine tune details of the legislation.
Mrs Murray, who has long championed new laws, said she had received a letter from security minister James Brokenshire MP.
In it, she said he apologised and said the planned period of public consultation couldn’t go ahead yet because of the ongoing pandemic.
“They will contact me when they have the new date, and he said the government is as committed as before with regard to it,” Mrs Murray said. “Every time a terror attack happens, there is always a comment that ‘lessons need to be learned.’
“Martyn’s Law is proof that lessons can be learned. It has to happen, because unfortunately terrorism isn’t going to go away.”
The Home Office said the new law would require venue operators to consider the risk of a terrorist attack and ‘take proportionate and reasonable measures.’
This could include increased physical security, having training in place, incident response plans and exercises for staff on what to do during an attack.
The law has five key requirements.
- A requirement that spaces and places to which the public have access engage with freely available counterterrorism advice and training.
- A requirement for those places to conduct vulnerability assessments of their operating places and spaces.
- A requirement for those places to mitigate the risks created by the vulnerabilities.
- A requirement for those places to have a counter-terrorism plan.
- A requirement for local authorities to plan for the threat of terrorism.