King Charles III delivered his first King’s Speech on Tuesday, outlining the prime minister’s new legislative programme for the next parliamentary session. 

A total of 20 bills and one draft bill were mentioned in the speech, some of which were carried over from the previous session. According to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, these bills aim to make the UK “more prosperous, more innovative, and more secure.” One notable bill is the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill mandates venues adopt measures to prepare for and effectively respond to potential terrorist attacks. These measures include physical security enhancements and support, guidance, and training for venue staff.

The 56-page bill, initially known as the Protect Duty during its development phase, is a direct response to the terrorist attack that occurred at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017, where 22 innocent lives were tragically lost. 

The legislation is now also known as Martyn’s Law, referencing the campaign driven by Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the Manchester Arena. It aligns with the recommendations outlined in the Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume 1, which emphasised the need for enhanced security measures at public venues.

“The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill will help keep people safe and enhance national security by ensuring preparedness for, and protection from, terrorist attacks. Proportionate new security requirements will be introduced for certain public venues and locations,” said the UK Home Office.

What the bill is about

While the policies outlined in the King’s Speech are not guaranteed to become legislation, the inclusion of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill signals a strong likelihood that it will proceed to parliamentary introduction. This marks the beginning of the legislative process’s primary stage, which involves a reading in the House of Commons.

The bill addresses various aspects, including what premises and events will qualify as in scope. It also mandates the Secretary of State to issue guidance for compliance with the bill’s requirements.

The draft bill establishes two tiers for premises based on capacity: a standard duty for those with a capacity of 100-799 and an enhanced duty for those over 800. 

Implementing standard-tier premises is estimated to cost £2,160 over ten years, whereas enhanced premises could incur a cost of £82,325 over the same period. 

In total, the cost is estimated to fall within the range of £89 million to £178 million at this stage. This total does not include possible supplementary expenses for local authorities. 

With the bill, the government will establish a regulator to oversee the implementation of its requirements and enforce compliance through inspections and sanctions. Non-compliance penalties are set at £10,000 for standard duty premises and up to £18 million or five percent of worldwide revenue for enhanced duty premises.

Next Steps

No one will know for certain what requirments will need to be implemented by venues until the legislation is passed. Those reponsible for the security of such venues, however, should try to closely monitor the likely requirements so that they can prepare as best as possible and in a timely fashion. While there is likely to be a grace period for venues to make the necessary changes, those that are best preapared will undoubtedly minimise business disruption for their organisations. 

Our own security consultants at Marengo will of course be keeping abreast of the latest developments. Please feel free to reach out to us for support.