The report, published by The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, also stated that the introduction of a Covid-status certification system would have a negative impact on the UK’s cultural, social and economic interests.
“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,” it says.
The report also found that the Government has failed to make a sufficiently strong scientific case for introducing Covid-status certification in the UK and that while it could not set out exact locations, events and venues to be included in a Covid-status certification system there appears to be no scientific rationale for the places most likely to be included in that system, including nightclubs and those that appear to have already been excluded from inclusion in that system, such as pubs and restaurants.
“We are concerned that it appears that the Government is making decisions on a largely arbitrary basis as to what locations would be included or exempted, regardless of the scientific evidence,” the report states.
In considering the impact Covid regulations have had on the hospitality sector, the report also states that while it is clear that social distancing has been a particular problem for these sectors it found ‘no convincing scientific case that a certificate system would materially impact any future policy decision regarding social distancing’.
“Instead we found that a certificate system would likely place new burdens and costs on industries which are already some of the hardest hit sectors of the UK economy and society, and which continue to suffer as a result of the ongoing measures put in place to combat the pandemic.”
It added: “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.”