Member

Martyn’s law embodies the courage and determination of the families of the victims who have campaigned tirelessly to ensure that lessons are learned and such tragedies are prevented in the future. I also echo the comments of the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Stockton West (Matt Vickers), about Figen Murray, to whom I pay great tribute. She is a hugely inspirational campaigner. Their voices have been instrumental in shaping the Bill throughout this process. That is down to their resilience, and we as legislators have a duty to honour their efforts by ensuring that the Bill is as robust and effective as possible while avoiding putting any excessive burden on our already struggling businesses. As with all considerations of the House, we must remain balanced in our approach and carefully weigh up the safety of event-goers with pragmatic and realistic requirements. Although the Bill is strong, it lacks the proper provisions to ensure that staff at venues—especially smaller venues that may be on the cusp of the thresholds—are adequately equipped and trained to respond to threats. That is where new clause 2 comes in.