It has come to our attention that RDA Groups have been approached by their clients, requesting their anti-terrorism policy.
Groups should be reassured that there is currently no legal framework that requires groups to have this policy in place.
Martyn’s Law – An overview of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill
The Bill was published on 02 May 2023 and is known as ‘Martyn’s Law’ in recognition of the campaign led by the mother of one the victims of the Manchester Arena bombings in May 2017. Once in force, the Act will require those responsible for publicly accessible venues to take prescribed steps to reduce the threat to the public from terrorist attacks
What does this mean for RDA Groups
As Martyn’s Law passes through government and into royal assent RDA will continue to monitor the requirements and will act accordingly through policies, procedures and training.
It is also worth noting that at this point, the law as written, is setting out to legislate venues with a capacity of greater than 200 people. If the bill continues as written, then the legislation is unlikely to impact the majority of RDA Groups.
With this in mind, if a policy is requested, RDA’s guidance is to discuss this request and seek dispensation as currently it isn’t a responsible ask or legal requirement.
What else can I do
The bill is seeking greater responsibility across four key areas: Evacuation; invacuation; lockdown; and communication. In most instances and if an anti-terrorism policy is required, then usual operating procedures for dealing with an emergency (such as a fire) will be a useful starting point. It is always a good idea to continuously review these procedures and to make sure they are well communicated.
Additionally, there is free ACT Awareness Course that will help volunteers and staff to understand anti-terrorism in more detail – ACT Awareness e-Learning | ProtectUK