Plans to introduce vaccine passports in England for nightclubs have been scrapped by the UK government, Sajid Javid has confirmed. The UK Health secretary told the BBC yesterday (12 September) about the shelving of the plans after UK Prime minister Boris Johnson had previously announced members of the public would be required to show proof they have had two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to gain entry to clubs and other large-scale events in England.
The decision means covid measures in England will once again differ from those in Scotland, where a motion on the introduction of Covid passports was passed in the Scottish parliament last week, while a decision is expected in Wales this week. In Northern Ireland, Stormont ministers are still to reach an official position.
Javid said, “It’s fair to say, I think, most people probably instinctively don’t like the idea. I’ve never liked the idea of saying to people you must show your papers or something to do what is just an everyday activity.”
But he added that the idea would nevertheless be kept “in reserve as a potential option.”
The Night Time Industries Association warned the plans could have crippled the industry and seen nightclubs facing discrimination cases. The industry body has welcomed the U-turn, saying it hoped businesses could now plan with some certainty and start to rebuild the sector and regain customers’ confidence.
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said, “Very welcome confirmation from the health secretary that vaccine passports will not be going ahead, listening to our concerns about impact on jobs, businesses and customers as well as scientific concerns about efficacy. We will continue to ensure our venues and events are safe and mitigate risk.”
Glasgow club entrepreneur and Director of Hold Fast Entertainment Donald MacLeod says that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to make Covid vaccine passports mandatory for nightclubs in England are “a hammer blow for the industry and a knife through the heart of the night-time economy.”
Full vaccination will be a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues with large crowds from September.
Donald told DRAM, “I don’t think its a necessary measure. We were headed the right way with vaccinations and the UK government is using clubs as political football. I just hope the Scottish government doesn’t follow suit (they probably won’t for at least three weeks!)
“I fully support all the public health measures to get the vaccines rolled out but we are on the .edge of the abyss of losing freedoms and this is yet another in a catalogue of worrying developments for the trade. Both governments are tinkering with protections and bringing in measures that are only breaking the back of business.
“There’ll be big problems in England if kids rebel against it – plus Scotland doesn’t have infrastructure for it. There’ll be beer stained photocopies of passports that will leave the entire system open for forgery.”
The announcement came on the day nightclubs were allowed to reopen after almost 18 months of closure when Boris Johnson told a press conference, “I don’t want to have to close nightclubs again as they have elsewhere. But it does mean nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing.
“As we said last week, we do reserve the right to mandate certification at any point if it’s necessary to reduce transmission.”
The Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) has branded a likely delay in moving Scotland to level zero “a never-ending hell for hospitality workers and the businesses that employ them, especially those in the music and night-time sectors.” Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs yesterday that it was “unlikely” any area would see restrictions eased on 28 June and that moving Scotland to level zero was likely to be pushed back three weeks.
It means restrictions on hospitality businesses could be in place until the middle of July, in order that more people could be vaccinated. A full review of restrictions is due to take place next week.
SHG spokesperson Stephen Montgomery (pictured), has called for the Scottish government to review the practical suggestions it has offered in the past.
He said, “Now is the right time to revisit the practical suggestions we put forward several times at the government’s request, such as tweaking the tiers so it’s easier for responsible businesses to trade viably while still protecting people’s health.
“This is especially important because the whole sector is facing a recruitment crisis that’s putting another brake on our recovery.”
He added that the Scottish government had shown flexibility and ‘understanding’ the Euros and the fanzones and that all hospitality was looking for was the ‘same consideration’, likewise there should be more of a focus on hospital data rather than cases and more financial support for struggling businesses. .
Said Stephen, “A first step would be to base decisions more on hospital data than cases, as these clearly tell a different, more important story. We don’t shut down society and the economy every winter because of the flu. There’s got to be a balance.
“There are two other things we want from the Scottish Government that they can do right now. The first is to get out from behind their desks to understand how better policy decisions can work for everyone. The second is to make sure there’s proper financial support for businesses that can’t trade viably for no fault of their own, including when one positive result means critical staff having to self-isolate.
“The health secretary was happy to reassure himself with a visit to the Fanzone. We’ve been crying out repeatedly for senior ministers to do this with hospitality too and it’s never happened yet. Now is the perfect time to put that right.”
Sturgeon’s statement came after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday that plans to lift restrictions in England would be delayed by four weeks until 19 July.
A post-Brexit trade deal between UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison that will eliminate tariffs on all UK goods, signalling the end of the 5% tariff on Scotch whisky exports has been agreed in principle.
The deal is the first to be built from scratch since the UK left the EU and is seen as an important step towards the UK joining a wider Asia Pacific free-trade agreement.
Said Karen Betts, chief executive of the SWA, “It’s very good to see the removal of the 5% tariff on Scotch whisky in the agreement in principle between the UK and Australia. This will help Scotch whisky distillers continue to expand exports to Australia, which have almost doubled over the last decade, making Australia our eighth largest market by value.
“It’s also important to us that trade with Australia is now tariff-free for Scotch whisky – our preference is always for tariff-free trade, which enables Scotch whisky to compete on a level playing field and on the strength of our reputation for quality.
“We await further details of the agreement in principle. A framework for addressing regulatory barriers to trade with Australia, to ensure greater legal protection and tax fairness for Scotch whisky, is also important to us, and – if delivered in this agreement – will be a real boost for the industry.”