Scotland | Covid Passport (Media Reports)

On Monday 18th October the new Scottish Covid ‘Passport’ took full effect. Although law since 1st October, the Scottish Government had stated there would be no enforcement action before 18th October to allow business to prepare and implement the new scheme.

Following enquiries by the Scotsman to councils in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness, each council said no formal enforcement action had yet been taken. As many will be familiar during Covid many Authorities have sensibly applied the four ‘E’s’ of Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce’ and this would again be the appropriate route to follow with such a seismic policy.

Other media reports arising from the weekend (the first following enforcement powers were ‘switched on’) have suggested the scheme continues to meet with resistance from the public and creates challenges for the industry.

Quoted by the BBC the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG), which opposes the scheme, said the first real test this weekend had been "one of unmitigated disaster".

"The Scottish Hospitality Group has been warning the government for weeks that their vaccine passports scheme is not ready - but the government's attitude has been to tell us to 'get on with it' whilst offering no safety net of support for businesses or our hard working staff," SHG spokesperson Stephen Montgomery said.

He also reported abuse aimed at staff trying to enforce the scheme and other reports suggested an adverse impact on footfall.