6
Recommendation
Second Report - Covid-Status Certificat…
Rejected
Given the large number of areas where the Government was unable to provide the Committee with information and answers in regards to: criteria against which the Covid-Status Certification 31 efficacy of that system is to be assessed; the cost-benefit analysis proposals; modelling of different scenarios with and without a certificate …
Read more
Given the large number of areas where the Government was unable to provide the Committee with information and answers in regards to: criteria against which the Covid-Status Certification 31 efficacy of that system is to be assessed; the cost-benefit analysis proposals; modelling of different scenarios with and without a certificate system, combined with the Minister’s own assessment that the case of a Covid-status certificate system is “finely balanced”, the Committee does not think the Government has made a case for any form of domestic Covid-status certification system. (Paragraph 28) Concerns and uncertainty with Covid-status certifications
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government rejects the committee's assessment, stating it believes certification provides a public health benefit and has made the NHS COVID Pass available and is encouraging its use for entry to certain venues.
Read full response →
10
Recommendation
Second Report - Covid-Status Certificat…
Rejected
The hospitality, arts and sports sectors have been some of the hardest hit sectors of the UK economy and society. All three witnesses were very clear about the damaging effect of social distancing restrictions. As set out above, we have not seen a convincing scientific case for a Covid-status certification …
Read more
The hospitality, arts and sports sectors have been some of the hardest hit sectors of the UK economy and society. All three witnesses were very clear about the damaging effect of social distancing restrictions. As set out above, we have not seen a convincing scientific case for a Covid-status certification system, and we do not see how it would aid in the decision to remove and prevent the reimposition of social distancing requirements. It is clear that neither the hospitality nor the arts industry would institute a certification system unless it was imposed upon them as part of the transition towards a permanent end to social distancing restrictions. We are also not convinced that a Covid-status certification system would provide the fall-back protection that the Premier League suggest it could provide should social distancing measures remain in place. We are also not clear that a Covid-status certification system would provide any tangible increase in the public’s confidence in returning to pubs, restaurants, comedy clubs, theatres or sports stadia. It is however clear to the Committee that the introduction of a Covid-status certification system would place new burdens and costs on those industries which have already suffered significantly and continue to suffer as a result of the measures put in place to combat the pandemic. Given the Government’s assessment that the case for certificates is “finely balanced”, the lack of a clear scientific case and the extra burdens and costs that it would place on the businesses and people who it would affect directly, it would be detrimental to the UK’s cultural, social and economic interests for a certificate system to be introduced in any respect domestically.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government rejects the committee's call against a domestic certification system, stating it won't mandate its use from Step 4 but is encouraging voluntary use of the NHS COVID Pass and reserves the right to mandate it in certain venues if necessary.
Read full response →
11
Recommendation
Second Report - Covid-Status Certificat…
Rejected
A Covid-status certification system would, by its very nature, be discriminatory. The evidence of vaccine uptake is a clear indication that such a system would likely disproportionately discriminate against people on the basis of race, religion and socio-economic background, as well as on the basis of age due to the …
Read more
A Covid-status certification system would, by its very nature, be discriminatory. The evidence of vaccine uptake is a clear indication that such a system would likely disproportionately discriminate against people on the basis of race, religion and socio-economic background, as well as on the basis of age due to the sequencing of the vaccine rollout. While the Committee accepts that in emergency situations the prospect of temporary infringement of rights may need to be weighed against public health or other emergency considerations, these occasions should only ever be when there is an overwhelming case of necessity and should, in all situations, be proportionate to that necessity. In the case of Covid-status certificates, by the Minister’s own admission, the case is “finely balanced”. The Committee finds that there is no justification for engaging in what is likely to be a significant infringement of individual rights by introducing a Covid-status certification system and given the absence of convincing scientific case and the large the number of uncertainties that remain, we recommend that the Government abandon the idea of using a Covid- status certification system domestically.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government rejects abandoning the certification system, stating that while it was not mandated from Step 4, they are encouraging its use and reserve the right to mandate it in certain venues if necessary.
Read full response →