Venues must have anti-terror measures under government plans

Martyn Hett was one of those killed in the Manchester Arena bombing

Venues would have a legal duty to put in place security measures to protect the public from terror attacks under government plans.

It comes in the wake of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, when 22 people were killed as they left an Ariana Grande concert.

Home Secretary Priti Patel will set out the proposals on Tuesday, following an 18-week consultation.

The so-called Protect Duty has been championed by victims' groups.

These include the Martyn's Law campaign, which was started by Figen Murray, after the loss of her son, 29-year-old Martyn Hett, in the attack.

Mrs Murray welcomed the report on the consultation and said she hoped the legislation would be introduced as quickly as possible "to avoid the further unnecessary loss of innocent lives".

The government will seek to introduce the legislation to Parliament at the earliest opportunity, the Home Office said.

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There is currently no legislative requirement for organisations or venues to consider security measures at the vast majority of public places.

A consultation, launched in February 2021, found that seven in 10 of the 2,755 respondents agreed those responsible for publicly accessible locations should take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect the public from attacks. This included ensuring staff were trained to respond appropriately.

There was also agreement that measures should be proportionate to a venue's size, the Home Office said, with smaller organisations not facing the same requirements as larger ones.

Half the respondents were in favour of an inspectorate that would identify key vulnerabilities and areas for improvement, as well as share best practice. There was also an even split of those who were supportive of the use of civil penalties to ensure compliance.

Twenty-two people were killed in the Manchester Arena bombing

Home Secretary Ms Patel said: "My number one priority is keeping the people of the UK safe.

"Following the tragic attack at the Manchester Arena, we have worked closely with Figen Murray, victims' groups and partners to develop proposals to improve protective security around the country.

"We will never allow terrorists to restrict our freedoms and way of life, which is why we are committed to bringing forward legislation this year, that will strike the right balance between public safety, whilst not placing excessive burden on small businesses," she added.

Ministers have previously suggested the government could support measures called for by the Martyn's Law campaign, including airport-style checks and counter-terror attack action plans for large venues.

However, full details are expected to be laid out in a written ministerial statement on Tuesday.

The Home Office is also helping to develop a new interactive online platform, which is due to launch this year, aiming to provide advice for organisations on counter-terrorism.