Standard tier

The Government is committed to listening to the views of businesses and premises to ensure the law stands the test of time and is accessible, proportionate and deliverable for smaller venues. 

That is why ahead of introducing the Bill in Parliament, the Government launched a consultation on the standard tier to ensure the Bill’s measures strike the right balance between public protection and avoiding undue burdens on smaller premises. This follows concerns raised about the implications of the standard tier through the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill earlier this year. 

The updated approach to the standard tier consulted on means that those responsible for Standard Tier premises must:

• Notify the Regulator that they are, or have become, responsible for premises within scope of the Bill (and so subject to the relevant requirements). This remains broadly in line with previous requirements.
• Have in place procedural measures that could be expected to reduce, so far as reasonably practicable, the risk of physical harm to individuals at the premises in the event of an attack. These relate only to the procedures to be followed by people working at the premises in the event of an attack occurring or being suspected as about to occur. As the procedural measures are about procedures for responding to an attack or suspected attack, it is not expected or required that physical alterations be undertaken or additional equipment purchased for Standard Tier premises.
• In contrast to the published draft Bill, there is no requirement to complete a specified form (the ‘Standard Terrorism Evaluation’) for Standard Tier premises or ensure that people working at the premises are given any specific training. However, as part of putting in place the procedural measures, workers will need to be sufficiently instructed or trained to carry them out effectively.