Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how individuals can obtain confirmation of their COVID-19 vaccination status; whether that information is in a form that individuals can share with commercial organisations for the purpose of vaccine passports; and if so, how.

To record vaccinations, the National Health Service National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) is being used as the national register for COVID-19 vaccinations. At the point that someone receives their COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccinating team record this information onto NIMS and onto a patient’s general practitioner record.

The Government will review whether COVID-status certification could play a role in reopening the economy, reducing restrictions on social contact and improving safety. This will include assessing to what extent certification would be effective in reducing risk, and the potential uses to enable access to settings or a relaxation of COVID-19 secure mitigations.

The Government will also consider the ethical, equalities, privacy, legal and operational aspects of this approach and what limits, if any, should be placed on organisations using certification. It will draw on external advice to develop recommendations that take into account any social and economic impacts, and implications for disproportionately impacted groups and individuals’ privacy and security. The Government will set out its conclusions in advance of step four of the roadmap in order to inform the safe reopening of society and the economy.

Vaccination is not suitable for all citizens and there are other means of demonstrating a reduced risk of transmission. The NHS is working on providing individuals with the means to demonstrate their COVID-19 status through a digital and non-digital route and is working with experts to put security and privacy at the core of this approach. As we continue to explore and trial COVID-19 status certification, we will ensure appropriate Parliamentary scrutiny.