Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2021 to Question 16141, what the planned timescale is for the upgrade to the App to allow people who have taken part or are participating in a clinical trial to demonstrate their covid-19 vaccine status.

Allocated treatments in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials are blinded, which means for scientific integrity the identity of their vaccinations cannot be revealed until the participant's involvement in the clinical trial concludes. Participating clinical trial sites have provided an interim letter to participants which certifies that they are in a clinical trial and should be recognised as vaccinated.

In July, we will add participants of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials to COVID Pass, which can then be used to demonstrate their status in England at trial events and for any future potential domestic use. Those wishing to travel abroad should continue to seek guidance on COVID-19 status requirements for their destination country. Once the clinical trials are unblinded, the details of participants' specific COVID-19 vaccinations will be accessible on the NHS App in their COVID Pass.