Martyn’s Law progresses through second reading in House of Lords

Martyn’s Law has progressed through the second reading in the House of Lords and will now undergo several days of scrutiny at the Committee stage. A full transcript of the hearing of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill can be found here.

The bill, which calls for certain premises and events to enforce better security and named after Martyn Hett, a victim of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, received cross-party support in the House of Lords, and its introduction will be key in strengthening the UK against terrorism.

The government has responded by increasing standard tier requirements for venues with a capacity of more than 200, meaning that now only 154,600 premises fall into this category. Consequently, the cost to businesses has decreased over ten years to £1.83 billion. For standard tier premises, the cost in time and money is estimated at around £330, whereas for the enhanced tier the annual cost is approximately £5,210.

Other things raised in yesterday’s (7th January 2025) reading include debating the suitably and capability of the Security Industry Authority to be able to regulate the implementation of this legislation, uncertainties regarding civil and corporate liability, the use of technology and AI for facial recognition and to spot suspicious behaviours, as well as the suggestion of cross-departmental engagement in planning policy.