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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 1 November 2024
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Displaying 538 contributions

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COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Vaccination Certification

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

I asked Dr McMillan about the legal obligation to “take all reasonable measures”. Given that there is potential for venues to commit an offence, how was the industry involved in developing the idea of what constitutes “reasonable measures”? What is your understanding of the phrase?

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Vaccination Certification

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

I ask Mr Doncaster to respond to the same question.

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Vaccination Certification

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

Given that, I presume that you agree that any reduction in the flow of fans into a ground gives rise to the potential for unrest and security issues outside the ground.

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Vaccination Certification

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

In the sector that you represent, many people who are going out do not stay in just one venue; they access multiple venues. Do you agree that the proposal will create inequality between the venues that require a passport and those that do not, and that the issue will become a deciding factor in which venues people choose to go to? As a slight aside, is there therefore potential for venues that currently class themselves as nightclubs to decide that they are not nightclubs?

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Vaccination Certification

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

Mr Doncaster, you have suggested that your preference in the first phase would be for spot checks in order to put less pressure on stewards and to ensure that you can put in place what needs to be in place. Given the Government’s current position that this will be a digital initiative and that the system will need to be able to read QR codes, what will be the cost implication of that on clubs? After all, this will affect not just the big clubs, because when those big clubs visit the smaller clubs, the crowd will inevitably be larger than 10,000. Is there a disparity or, if you like, an inequality with regard to the ability to put these measures in place?

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Vaccination Certification

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

The Scottish Government’s proposals indicate that regulations will impose a legal obligation on the person responsible for operating the business, who must “take all reasonable measures” to restrict entry only to those who are fully vaccinated. How, from a legal perspective, do you define “reasonable measures”, given that the venues that we are discussing are so wide and varied?

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Ministerial Statement, Coronavirus Act Reports and Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

I think that you need to have a word with your colleague, because the rule for the premier league is that all clubs need to have a 10,000 capacity all-seated stadium before they can—[Interruption.] Is that not the case any more? There you go. I have learned something new today. I thank the cabinet secretary for that.

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Ministerial Statement, Coronavirus Act Reports and Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 16 September 2021

Brian Whittle

I have one more question. Earlier, the representative from the hospitality industry indicated that there is a potential inequality because people will choose venues based on whether they will need to produce a vaccination passport. Nights out often involve multiple venue visits. Do you recognise that there is a potential inequality regarding where people will choose to have a night out?

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Ministerial Statement and Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 9 September 2021

Brian Whittle

My final question, which I have been trying to get to, perhaps through a rather strangled route, is about the fact that it is a global problem—not a problem for only Scotland or even just the UK. Where are we on interacting with other nations around the world and the interoperability or compatibility of our approach with other approaches? What practical steps are the Scottish and UK Governments taking to work around the world to address the problem? Where are we in that process?

COVID-19 Recovery Committee

Ministerial Statement and Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 9 September 2021

Brian Whittle

No. I will put it another way. Businesses are looking for a way to work around the issues that Covid brings, and they are looking to the Government to give them an indication of the direction of travel. I am thinking about the long term. Where do you expect the travel industry to go and where will it be when safe travel starts? When can businesses start to open up more, for want of a better expression?

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