Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department will provide (a) guidance and (b) practical support to (i) charities, (ii) community groups and (iii) voluntary groups to assist them in complying with the requirements of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

Free, dedicated guidance and support will be provided to ensure that those in scope will understand how to meet the obligations of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. Guidance is currently being designed so that it is self-explanatory and easy to follow. It will be published ahead of the Bill’s requirements coming into force.

The Bill requires the production of two separate pieces of guidance: statutory guidance for the public to understand how they can meet the requirements of the legislation; and operational guidance which will set out how the regulator will discharge its duties. This will be freely available on the Security Industry Authority website and Gov.uk.

We continue to engage with key stakeholders across relevant sectors including those in the voluntary and community sector in developing this guidance.

In the interim, factsheets have been published on gov.uk which provide more detailed information on certain elements of the Bill Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2024: factsheets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). We also continue to encourage referral to the ProtectUK platform for the latest updates on the Bill.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill on (a) charities, (b) community groups and (c) voluntary organisations that organise events.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is extremely mindful of the many community, voluntary-run and charity events that occur across the UK.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill has been designed to achieve public protection outcomes whilst avoiding undue burden on businesses and other organisations.

Many organisations will have procedures and measures in place for fire safety and health and safety legislation. This Bill’s proposals are based on similar concepts, following similar systems and processes. The ‘reasonably practicable’ standard of requirements in both tiers is designed to allow procedures and measures to be tailored to the specific circumstances of a premises or event. This will enable those responsible to consider what is within their control and the resources they have available to them, as well as what is suitable and appropriate for their premises or event.

Dedicated guidance and support will be provided for those in scope of the Bill, to ensure that they have the required information on what to do and how best to do it. The guidance will be easy to follow, needing no particular expertise.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill on (a) small voluntary groups and (b) small venues.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is extremely mindful of the many community and voluntary-run premises across the UK. It has been conscious of the need to ensure the Terrorism (Protection of Premises Bill) strikes the right balance between public protection and avoiding undue burdens on premises and events. That is why important changes were made to the Bill since it was published in draft, particularly to the standard tier which comprises the smaller premises, many of which may be utilised by small voluntary groups.

We have doubled the qualifying threshold at which premises will come within scope of the Bill (at the standard tier) to where it is reasonable to expect that 200 people may be present at the same time. This has removed the smallest premises from scope, and made the requirements less prescriptive. The focus is on having procedures that are intended to be simple and low cost. For example, we have removed the requirement for a specific, prescribed form of training in recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate. Additionally, the Bill will not require premises in the standard tier to purchase or install any additional physical measures.

Dedicated guidance and support will be provided for those in scope of the Bill, to ensure that they have the required information on what to do and how best to do it. The guidance will be easy to follow, needing no particular expertise.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing funding schemes to support small voluntary groups with the costs of compliance with the measures in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government has made important changes to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill since it was published in draft, particularly to the standard tier, to ensure that the requirements strike a better balance between protecting the public and avoiding undue burden on premises.

The requirements for smaller premises are focused on simple, low-cost activities to enact policies and procedures. The smaller premises on the standard tier will be required to have in place appropriate and reasonably practicable public protection procedures to reduce the risk of physical harm in the event of an attack. Some actions could be as simple as locking doors, closing shutters and identifying a safe route to cover.

Direct financial support for mitigating measures is not proposed. However, the Government will consider how and where it can otherwise support those in scope, for example through developing supporting tools, guidance and templates where appropriate, and considering how training needs can be supported. The guidance and support is being designed so that it is self-explanatory and easy to follow.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill: Scope (Premises), updated on 1 November 2024, if she will make an estimate of the number of those premises with (a) 200 to 300, (b) 301 to 400, (c) 401 to 500, (d) 501 to 600, (e) 601 to 700 and (f) 701 to 800 individuals present at any one time.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

Estimates for the capacity of venues are based on a floorspace factor calculation (where no known capacity is available), drawing from ordnance survey data. The breakdown is:

As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, Government made changes to the Bill removing the smallest premises from scope and reducing the number of venues in the standard tier from approximately 278,900 to an estimated 154,600.

In addition, responsible persons will now be able to assess the number of people that may reasonably be expected to be present. This is considered a fairer basis to reflect actual usage of venues.

When considering the appropriate threshold, Government’s concern is to ensure venues where a sizable amount of people gather are in scope, ensuring those responsible are required to take proportionate and reasonable action to mitigate the impacts of a terrorist attack. We are confident that, because of the changes detailed, the Bill strikes an appropriate balance between protecting the public and preventing undue burden on organisations in scope.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department made an assessment of the potential merits of including outdoor events in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Bill has provided for events to be in scope where it is considered that there is an appropriate level of control and that mitigating measures for protective security and preparedness can reasonably be put in place.

For an event to be in scope of the bill, it must:

• take place in a building, on other land or at a combination of the two (unless the location already falls within the enhanced tier);
• be accessible to members of the public;
• have individuals in place at the event to take payment from members of the public or to check their tickets or passes; and
• be reasonably expected to be attended by 800 or more individuals at some point during the event.

Outdoor events that satisfy the above criteria will fall within scope of the Bill. Well established processes already exist to help those responsible for large open events to consider threats and develop appropriate protection and preparedness arrangements. This includes processes, led by the police, to consider security for large open events and, where appropriate, the deployment of appropriate measures and procedures working with event organisers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department made an assessment of the potential merits of including unticketed events in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

An event must satisfy several criteria to be in scope of the Bill. One of these criteria is that the event must have employees, or other individuals involved in the event, checking that attendees have paid to attend the event, have an invitation granting access, or have a pass that grants access (which might include a free ticket).

Whilst this provision applies to paid-for events, this provision will also encompass free events, if there is a check that attendees satisfy a condition of entry as specified above.

We consider the ‘express permission’ requirement provides an appropriate basis to capture events where there is the resource and control to consider and take forward security requirements.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to provide additional funding to the Security Industry Authority following the passage of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The regulator function of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill will be delivered as a new function of the Security Industry Authority and will be funded by the Home Office.

The Security Industry Authority has an existing licence fee-funded arrangement that will not be used to deliver its functions under this Bill.

Work is ongoing to design the new regulatory regime and to finalise costs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot implementation of provisions relating to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill by local authorities.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.

Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.

We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to clause 2 of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, for what reason venues with a 100 person capacity will be excluded from full risk assessments.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.

Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.

We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to provide access to training for premises covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.

Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.

We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consult Pool Reinsurance Limited on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.

Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.

We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.

Found: The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2024-25

Found: Earlier this month, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill  was brought before Parliament.

Found: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2024: factsheets

Found: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2024: impact assessment

Found: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill 2024: impact assessment

Found: In September, we were named as the regulator for Martyn’s Law in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill

Found: The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill will impose a legal duty on certain premises and events

Found: to take on the responsibilities of the Martyn’s Law Regulator, as reflected in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill

Found: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill - Martyn's Law: RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill - Martyn's Law: RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill - Martyn's Law: RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: Jarvis MP to Priti Patel MP regarding points raised during the Second Reading of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill

Found: Jarvis MP to Jim Shannon MP regarding points raised during the Second Reading of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill