Protect Duty, now officially known as ‘Martyn’s Law’, has progressed to the draft legislation stage, and will be ready for review in
Spring 2023.
Martyn’s Law, named after Martyn Hett, one of the victims of
the 2017 Manchester Arena attack and son of campaigner Figen Murray OBE, will
require venues to improve public safety through security measures, dependent on the size of
the venue and the activity taking place.
The terrorist attack at Manchester Arena saw 22 people lose their
lives, with another 1,000 people injured.
Martyn’s Law is a product of campaigning from Figen Murray
OBE, the Martyn’s Law Campaign Team, and Survivors Against Terror. Moving into
the draft legislation stage will enable the public to review the document
before it is formally introduced in the legislative process.
Figen Murray OBE, 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 ground-breaking legislation.”
Earlier this year, ICC Wales, a conference venue in Newport,
published its Protect Duty report which showed how Martyn’s Law would work in reality
and how venues can begin preparing to meet the standard required.
Danielle Bounds, sales director at ICC Wales, said: “To see
the UK government advancing Martyn’s Law is truly encouraging. We have worked
closely with Figen Murray OBE over the past 12 months and witnessed first-hand
her sheer dedication to this important legislation, so to see this one step
closer to becoming law is fantastic news.
“We look forward to reviewing the draft legislation next
spring. We will continue to support Figen on this journey and to educate the
global events sector on this important work.”
Find out more about the next stages of the legislation here.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
