HolidayTravelWatch has provided comment and observation, to The (Rt Hon. The) Lord Brennan QC, ahead of his presentation of a Bill before the House of Lords, designed to compensate victims of terror attacks overseas.
The Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill is designed to create a better response from the FCO, for the Government to facilitate wider insurance cover for holidaymakers (it suggests that the Government should underwrite such risks), and for the victims to benefit from compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, which operates in the UK to compensate victims of crime and violence.
Regular readers of these pages will note that HolidayTravelWatch takes issue with the Travel Industry, who sell holidays to 'risk areas'. We suggest to Lord Brennan that there needs to be a wider consideration given by Government and the Travel Industry to this issue. HolidayTravelWatch nonetheless welcomes the introduction of the Bill and looks forward to its passage through Parliament, and eventual Royal Assent.
It has taken some time, but the previous Government introduced the proposed Bill's provisions through its Crime & Security Bill (note however there is a comment that it will only be introduced once it has passed through Parliament!). The BBC has reported on this development along with comments from campaigners and victims families. Liberty produced an excellent summary and argument of the merits of the proposed scheme, including the observation that FCO assistance would be placed onto a statutory footing! The question remains, will the new government progress this important piece of legislation?