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Covid passport 'lagging behind', says Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart


By Louise Glen

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David Stewart.
David Stewart.

After a debate in parliament this morning, MSP David Stewart said the Scottish Government was failing to look forward to pulegislationon in place to welcome tourists back to Scotland.

The Labour Highlands and Islands MSP said while the Scottish Government is engaging with the UK government on a four-nations approach to develop a Covid passport, no staff had been allocated to move the matter forward in Scotland.

After questioning from Mr Stewart at this morning's health committee, Michael Matheson, cabinet secretary for transport, connectivity and infrastructure, said “We are already looking to develop our own thinking around how it would operate through the data system we have within NHS Scotland, but we also have to be mindful of the ethical issues associated with this."

Mr Matheson insisted his officials were working swiftly on the issue, and he said they were also engaging with the World Health Organisation, which he said were “developing a set of data-specific regulations that could be applied universally”.

However, Mr Matheson said he believed it was too soon for the Scottish Government to allocate specific staffing or budget lines to this work.

Mr Stewart strongly supports a Covid passport system to rescue the international tourism industry and he has been pressurising the Scottish Government for months to step up the pace of its work on the issue.

Mr Stewart said he was worried Scotland was falling behind.

He said: “My real worry is the train is leaving the station and we aren’t on it.

“I have been watching closely as many other countries, including Greece, are announcing -well ahead of the UK - their plans to bring in a Covid passport system for the recovery of their travel industries.”

Speaking afterwards, Mr Stewart said: “Other countries are moving ahead with this, industry is doing it without government. I was keen to find out from the Cabinet Secretary if something was happening at Scottish Government level beyond just a generalised discussion with the UK Government.

“What we have essentially heard today is no specific funding or staffing has yet been allocated from the Scottish Government’s budget because they believe it is too soon. What are they waiting for?

“As someone who represents the Highlands & Islands tourism is of course our most important asset and product. I am looking at the future where we will have tourists coming safely to our area and Scots are travelling internationally again and I do not think the Scottish Government is giving this the urgency and attention that this issue needs.”


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