Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Paragraph: 64
A Covid-status certification system would, by its very nature, be discriminatory.
Recommendation
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.
Paragraph Reference:
64
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Throughout the review, we’ve undertaken extensive engagement with ethicists, academics and a range of specialists and representatives including from faith, race and disabilities groups. As set out in the report, many ethicists saw a clear case for certification due to the potential to help safeguard the health and wellbeing of people and enable them to feel safer in accessing settings. Some issues were raised, including the potential for certification to widen existing disparities - for example, in groups where there is vaccine hesitancy, groups for whom it could be difficult to access or administer tests, or groups who may face higher levels of digital exclusion. However, the Government is clear that any use of certification must be as accessible and easy to use for all as possible. The certification review also concluded that the Government would not mandate the use of certification from Step 4. While the review concluded that there would be a public health benefit, the impacts are judged to be disproportionate to the public health benefit at that stage of the pandemic. However, it also concluded that certification could provide a means of keeping events going and businesses open if the country is facing a difficult situation in autumn or winter. A number of countries have been forced to close their nightclubs after a surge of cases, which we want to avoid. Therefore, as a matter of social responsibility, we are encouraging the use of the NHS COVID Pass for entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather as a safer way to reopen. We will monitor the uptake, and reserve the right to mandate its use in certain venues if necessary. not be used, including essential services and settings that have been allowed to remain open during the pandemic.