The NTIA have branded the Scottish government’s plans for vaccine passports “unlawful” and aim to launch a legal challenge.
The trade body covers much of the night-time industries, from bars and restaurants on through to venues, clubs, and festivals.
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed her government’s intent to proceed with vaccine passports, a move that has prompted criticism from the NTIA.
In a statement the trade body reveal that talks surrounding this have been ongoing for three weeks, but claim “that dialogue has not in any way resembled a meaningful consultation between government and the sector…”
Indeed, the NTIA claim the plans as they currently stand could be “unlawful” with the body intending to launch a legal challenge. Vaccine passports were taken off the table in England following a U-Turn by Sajid Javid – the Welsh government intend to proceed as planned.
The NTIA claim: “This vaccine passport scheme as currently proposed raises serious issues with definition, market distortion, discrimination, resource allocation and economic impact amongst others, and had Scottish Government been prepared to work with sectoral experts in the earliest stages of policy formulation some of these deep rooted problems may have been avoidable.”
“It is also clear to us that the policy as currently proposed is neither proportionate, nor represents the lowest level of intervention possible to achieve the public health imperative, and it is therefore likely to be unlawful. Regrettably then, and given the serious flaws in the policy as proposed, we have now instructed our legal team to commence proceedings against the Scottish Government with a legal challenge to vaccination passports.”
Referencing the falling infection rates in Scotland, the NTIA claim that they hoped the figures “might provide government with the incentive to look again and take the sector’s concerns into account, and to engage in meaningful consultation.”
Closing, they write: “Unfortunately, this has not happened, however we remain willing to work with Scottish Government on any policy which both achieves our shared goals and also allows businesses to remain economically viable.”
The Scottish government has yet to respond to the statement.
– – –
