John Swinney has announced the Scottish Government is considering allowing a negative lateral flow test result as a way of entering hospitality venues instead of vaccine passports.
The Deputy First Minister was probed on the issue by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson who said he has "significant concerns" about the extension of the covid vaccine passport scheme in a bid to reduce rising case numbers.
During his statement to Holyrood earlier today, the Minister for Covid Recovery warned that Scotland was still in a "precarious and unpredictable" pandemic situation.
Swinney revealed the government was considering introducing further measures around vaccine certification amid fears that cases could go up again in the coming weeks.
The certification scheme requires people going to nightclubs and to other large-scale events - such as concerts and some football matches - to be able to prove they have received two doses of vaccine.
Johnson, the MSP for Edinburgh Southern, said: "It will be of significant concerns all of those running hospitality businesses, what the Deputy First Minister stated in terms of the prospect of rolling out the vaccine passport to get more context, especially given the broad and nonspecific nature of his statement.
"Can he take this opportunity to clarify the following things?
"First of all, what process and timeline will the government be adhering to in terms of examining the rollout of the passports? Will they publish further evidence regarding transmission specifically within these setting?
"Will he also confirm that a negative test will be taken in lieu of vaccine passport?"
In response to Johnson, Swinney said: "As to whether or not the covid certification scheme needs to extend any further has to be driven by the evidence of the pandemic.
"What is the prevalence of the level of the virus in the community? What is the level of pressure on the National Health Service?
"What is the level of vaccination that is underway?
"The government has to make a proportionate judgement about those questions.
"He asked me specifically about the question about whether a negative LF test would be a possible alternative to that and I confirm that the government is considering that very question as part of these deliberations."
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