Pool Re’s Clementi welcomes Martyn’s Law legislation

The Martyn’s Law draft legislation coming before the UK parliament has been welcomed by Pool Re, the UK’s Treasury-run terrorism risk reinsurer.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Home Secretary Suella Braverman have set out to parliament how the bill’s aim to improve protective and organisational preparedness at a wide range of premises across the UK.

The draft Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill is known as Martyn’s Law, after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack of 2017.

According to Pool Re, Martyn’s Law will:

• Improve public safety, enhancing national security and reduce the risk to the public from terrorism by the protection of public premises and events.   
• Place a requirement on those responsible for certain premises and events to consider the threat from terrorism and implement appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures.  
• Ensure responsible persons are prepared, ready to respond and know what to do in the event of an attack.

The draft bill, which may apply to over 300,000 different premises across the UK, sets out how qualifying premises will be divided into two tiers with particular duties applying to premises in each tier.

Standard tier premises which have a capacity of between 100-799 people will be required to undertake low-cost activities such as ensuring that relevant workers are given appropriate training, while the enhanced tier which applies to premises with a capacity of 800 or over, will require an enhanced terrorism risk assessment as well as the implementation of a security plan.

Tom Clementi, CEO of Pool Re, called the draft law “a crucial step in enhancing the protection of the UK’s publicly accessible locations from terrorist attacks”.

Clementi said: “Pool Re will support the government and insurance industry with the implementation of Martyn’s Law, by providing information and education regarding what businesses and organisations need to do to prepare for its introduction.

“We would again like to pay tribute to the inspiring work of Figen Murray OBE, Martyn’s mother, whose tireless campaigning on this issue has reminded us of the real-life impact of terrorism in public venues and who has strongly encouraged the UK government to legislate,” he added.

The draft bill will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by the Home Affairs Select Committee in the coming months in order to allow for further engagement and refining of the legislation.

Pool Re will offer advice to brokers and insurers on the new legislative requirements through a hub on its website, here.