Website of the UK government

The main elements of the Bill

The main elements of this Bill are:

- Implementing the recommendations of the 2006 Independent Review of Airport Policing, including:

• requiring the majority of airports in the United Kingdom to agree a local airport security plan with their key stakeholders, based upon an agreed threat and risk analysis
• allowing the policing element of this plan to be charged to the airport operator

- Ratifying in UK law the 2005 Protocols to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, by creating a number of new offences relating to committing acts of terrorism at sea, for example:

• using a ship to transport weapons of mass destruction or in any other manner that causes death or serious injury or damage
• using a ship or fixed platform to discharge any explosive, radioactive material or Biological, Chemical or Nuclear weapon or any other hazardous substance to cause death or injury; or using any of those substances against a ship or fixed platform
• sheltering a person who has committed an offence under the Protocols on board ship.

- Permitting enforcement officers (e.g. members of the Royal Navy):

• to board and detain ships where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the ship or a person on board the ship is involved in an offence under the Protocols
• to search for and seize evidence and arrest persons suspected of relevant offences
• to board ships that are suspected of being involved in acts of piracy