Image source, Clark James Digital

Holyrood votes to back controversial plans to introduce a vaccine passport scheme in Scotland.

68 MSPs voted for the government motion, with 55 against.

The move will mean that only people who have been fully vaccinated will be allowed into nightclubs, major sporting events and many concerts and festivals.

The Scottish government says the plan is designed to allow large events to go ahead as safely as possible.

Details of the proposals were only published by the government, external on Thursday morning - just hours before the vote.

• Read more here
• What do we know about Scotland's vaccine passport?
• How will Scotland's vaccine certificate change?

The closing speeches have taken place, with Health Secretary Humza Yousaf speaking for the government.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

With the backing of the Greens this motion is guaranteed to pass at 5.30pm.

The Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems will all vote against it.

Image source, Getty Images

The UK medicines regulator has approved the use of Pfizer and AstraZeneca as Covid booster vaccines, paving the way for a rollout ahead of the winter.

But the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the UK vaccine advisory body, has not decided if they are needed, and who should be eligible.

The JCVI has said a third dose should be offered to people with severely-weakened immune systems.

Up to half a million people over the age of 12 in the UK are in this group.

Read more here.

• From 30 Sep people will be able to use the NHS Scotland Covid Status App which also has a QR code. Anyone unable to use the App can request a secure uneditable paper record of vaccination. This will replace the current interim solution for accessing records of vaccination.
• Staff in the venues affected can download the “NHS Scotland Covid Check” verifier app to a smartphone or device.This will be available during the course of the next week, well in advance of launch of the scheme.
• There will be detailed guidance for venues on how to use this. There will also be options for venues to integrate the verifier functionality into their own systems.
• A person who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons will be able to apply for a document that says they are exempt. Those who are on clinical trials already have their exemption letter. They will be able to show that instead of record of vaccination.

Ms Mackay implores the Conservatives to lobby their colleagues at Westminster to extend furlough.

The Green MSP says if the health of the population was the only thing at risk then wider restrictions would "probably be an obvious step" - however she says this is "no longer a choice" with the end of furlough coming.

Having worked with the government on the scheme, she welcomes the provisional end date for passports at the end of February and says medical data will be "limited" so as not to adversely affect marginalised groups.

She concludes saying we are "in the realm of the least worst option", but says her party will continue to work with the government on the issue.

Vaccination certification will be introduced for the following events and venues:

• nightclubs and analogous settings
• sexual entertainment venues
• unseated indoor live events, with more than 500 people in the audience
• unseated outdoor live events, with more than 4,000 people in the audience
• any event, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance

Image source, bbc

Gillian Mackay of the Scottish Greens sets out the reasons behind her party's backing of vaccine passports after "hoping" it would not be a necessary measure.

She says Scotland is "on the brink" of re-imposing restrictions and cites health boards that have stopped certain procedures due to Covid pressure.

Ms Mackay asks the cabinet secretary to divulge if there has been any more uptake of the vaccination among young people since last week and argues for more encouragement for these age groups to get jagged.

She says the passport scheme does not appear to have increased vaccine hesitancy, but says she "implores" health boards to reach out to groups that have already expressed concerns.

To date 75.1% of 18-29 year olds have had a first dose, with about 700-800 typically coming forward for their first jab each day.

That means that roughly 200,000 people in this age group are still unvaccinated.

Image source, bbc

Progress has been brisker among 16 and 17-year-olds, with more than 60% having had a first dose despite the rollout to this age group only starting in August.

When it comes to figures for both doses, 57.5% of 18-29 year olds are fully vaccinated.

For 16 and 17 year olds, the figure is much lower - 8.9% - as many of them have only recently had their first jab.

Image source, bbc

Image source, EPA

MSPs are debating controversial plans to introduce a vaccine passport scheme in Scotland.

The move will mean that only people who have been fully vaccinated will be allowed into nightclubs, major sporting events and many concerts and festivals.

The Scottish government says the plan is designed to allow large events to go ahead as safely as possible.

Details of the proposals were only published by the government, external on Thursday morning - just hours before the vote.

• Read more here
• What do we know about Scotland's vaccine passport?
• How will Scotland's vaccine certificate change?
• Covid in Scotland: Where are the latest cases?

The Scottish government has published the latest Covid-19 statistics.

• 6,836 new cases of Covid reported
• This represents 10.8% of those who were tested
• 12 further people have died after testing positive
• 87 people were in ICU
• 928 people were in hospital

And on vaccinations:

• 4,133,606 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination
• 3,757,337 have received their second dose

Mr Cole-Hamilton says the passports represent the beginning of medical ID cards as they require a photo.

He also argues they may not increase the rate of vaccination uptake among young people either as there is already a black market for vaccine certificates in France.

Finally, he calls on the government to exempt young people from having to use the scheme for things like football matches as it would "artificially put pressure" on them to decide whether or not to have the vaccine.

Image source, bbc

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton says his party is "fundamentally opposed" to the passport scheme on grounds of ideology and practicality.

He says it does not address the booster programme, which could result in "another crushing burden" to the hospitality industry.

After talks with industry representatives, he says there is concern vaccine passports could give people a "false sense of security" which could lead to increased transmission of the virus.

One alternative plan would be to present a negative lateral flow test for access to venues, he says, as it does not "compel you to access certain form of treatment".

Ms Baillie asks why the Scottish government is moving at "snail's pace" on improving Test and Protect.

The Scottish Labour MSP warns: "They are simply not coping."

Image source, bbc

Jackie Baillie warns there is a real danger that vaccine hesitancy may become entrenched if the passport scheme is introduced.

Scottish Labour's health spokesperson also warns about exacerbating inequalities.

She asks if the SNP government have engaged with the nightime and hospitality industries.

Ms Baillie warns the government is in danger of giving a false sense of confidence.

Mr Ross points out that the vaccine status app the government is rolling out will need an update in future and that the government has not provided sector specific detail on how the scheme will be operated.

He quotes Steven Montgomery from the Hospitality Group who said the sector does not know how passports are going to work.

Mr Swinney asks Mr Ross to set out what he believes are the steps to take to avoid more restrictions, to which the Scottish Conservative Party leader says contact tracing should be improved.

Mr Ross concludes that his party will not be voting for the vaccine passport scheme.

Image source, Getty Images

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross begins by repeating his question to Mr Swinney - what is a nightclub?

Mr Swinney says this question is the subject of further discussions with the night-time industry and will be set out in regulations.

Mr Ross says the deputy first minister wants parliamentarians to "impose" vaccine passports on establishments without knowing which ones it will affect.

He also disagrees with MSP John Mason, who argues that the parliament's Covid committee would look at the details while today MSPs vote "in principle".

• From 30 Sep people will be able to use the NHS Scotland Covid Status App which also has a QR code. Anyone unable to use the App can request a secure uneditable paper record of vaccination. This will replace the current interim solution for accessing records of vaccination.
• Staff in the venues affected can download the “NHS Scotland Covid Check” verifier app to a smartphone or device.This will be available during the course of the next week, well in advance of launch of the scheme.
• There will be detailed guidance for venues on how to use this. There will also be options for venues to integrate the verifier functionality into their own systems.
• A person who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons will be able to apply for a document that says they are exempt. Those who are on clinical trials already have their exemption letter. They will be able to show that instead of record of vaccination.

Mr Swinney says: "We propose that vaccination certification should be introduced once all adults have had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated."

Vaccination certification will be introduced for the following events and venues:

• nightclubs and analogous settings
• sexual entertainment venues
• unseated indoor live events, with more than 500 people in the audience
• unseated outdoor live events, with more than 4,000 people in the audience
• any event, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance