Are you ready for Martyn’s Law?

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill is going through its final readings. Richard Scott, public sector client manager and head of education at Aon, explains how universities and colleges should prepare.

Keeping students, staff, and members of the public safe has always been a priority for the higher education sector. But, with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn’s Law, due to come into effect this Spring, it’s essential to ensure the right policies and procedures are in place.

Under Martyn’s Law, a new statutory duty will be placed on those responsible for premises and public events. This will require them to take appropriate action to strengthen public safety and ensure they are protected from harm and evidence that risks have been assessed and reduced where possible.

Tiered responsibilities

The Bill takes a tiered approach, with requirements based on the activity that takes place; the size of the venue and the number of people it is reasonable to expect will be present.

Standard tier.
These are premises with a capacity of between 200 and 799 people. The responsible person will be required to notify the regulator of their premises and put in place appropriate procedures to reduce harm to the public in the event of a terrorist attack. This could be training staff to lock doors and identify a safe exit.
Enhanced tier
These are premises and events where it is reasonable to expect 800 or more people. As well as the requirements for standard tier premises, they will need to put in place appropriate public protection measures to reduce the vulnerability of the premises or event to an act of terrorism and to reduce the risk of harm to individuals attending. Examples include security staff and CCTV systems. They will need to document the measures they have put in place and share this with the regulator (understood to be the Security Industry Authority (SIA)). In addition, an individual must be appointed either as a ‘responsible person’ or ‘designated senior individual’ with responsibility for ensuring the requirements are met, further highlighting the need for appropriate directors’ and officers’ cover.

While the tier classifications are relatively straightforward, there is some work to do to ensure existing policies and procedures are compliant with the new requirements.

As mentioned previously, this includes notifying the regulator of any premises that fall under the legislation but also implementing measures such as staff training, to ensure they understand the new requirements, and, where a venue is large enough, putting in additional security measures.

Where security and stewarding is outsourced, organisations will also need to have oversight of how they operate and the training they provide to staff to ensure it meets the standards required.

It will also be important for organisations to assess venues for the potential for gatherings to happen. As an example, some of the university protests over Gaza last year may be covered by the requirements, even though these gatherings were unexpected.

Is behavioural detection a solution?

Reviewing existing policies and procedures ensures compliance but will also highlight any areas that may need further attention. As an example, behavioural detection is often used by security professionals at large venues and gatherings. By observing behaviours and activities, looking especially for signs of stress and anxiety, they can identify individuals who may have hostile intentions.

However, while the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) (1) says it can be a powerful tool as part of a systematic approach, it also warns that it needs to be used appropriately. Unconscious biases can develop, resulting in individuals being prejudiced against due to factors such as gender, race or mental health issues.

It can also be expensive to deploy behavioural detection effectively. Security staff need appropriate training, which can be costly where turnover is high, as well as additional resources to ensure any suspicions can be reported quickly and effectively. The NPSA also cautions that the effectiveness of behavioural detection can be diminished where staff have to carry out other duties at the same time.

With public safety already a key responsibility for universities and colleges, complying with the new requirements should be straightforward. But, with the legislation expected in the next few months, it’s important to be prepared.

(1) Behavioural Detection | NPSA

More information

Aon can provide risk consulting and broking support to assist you with your preparations for Martyn’s Law. Speak to your Aon account manager or contact Richard Scott.

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The information contained herein and the statements expressed are of a general nature and are not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information and use sources that we consider to be reliable, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

This article has been compiled using information available to us up to 25/02/2025.

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