On Monday 9 December Allan Burnett (Former Counter-Terrorism Officer) spoke in StAge to members of the University’s security team, the Association’s own security including a large number of student stewards, and others with responsibility for buildings and Health and Safety about Martyn’s law.

Allan said:

‘It was an honour to present on the topic of Martyn’s law yesterday (Monday 9 December) to a group covering various aspects of security representing both the University of St Andrews and Students' Association.

Coincidently, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill which will become Martyn’s law passed its third reading at the House of Commons yesterday.  It is intended to achieve a consistently high standard of counter terrorism measures across a very wide range of premises and events to which the public have access.

Some of the students were only in their early to mid teens when the Manchester atrocity which took place in 2017 and that was the major factor in the demand to legislate.

Hopefully some of the lessons learned have already been absorbed but when it becomes law it will place a legal responsibility to have and discharge a counter terrorism plan on a wide range of premises including Universities and Student Unions.’