The SNP Government has been told to ‘cut its losses’ and scrap the vaccine passport scheme after Nicola Sturgeon announced a two-week delay to its enforcement.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said it was typical that only after weeks of “warning after warning” has Nicola Sturgeon admitted she’s “botched” the vaccine passport scheme.
He said it would only add to the chaos and confusion “that a scheme that is legally in force won’t be enforced” for weeks.
The Scottish Conservative Leader added the announcement was an admission that the scheme wasn’t ready, and he called for the government to “cut its losses on this shambles of a scheme and scrap it altogether.”
On Wednesday, the Scottish Conservatives will bring forward a Scottish Parliament debate and vote to call for a halt to the SNP’s vaccine passport scheme.
Douglas Ross also asked Nicola Sturgeon to answer how many extra acute beds have been made available in Scotland’s NHS, which he also asked at First Minister’s Questions last week.
In response, Nicola Sturgeon once again didn’t say how many new beds had been delivered.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said: “Scotland’s NHS remains in crisis but still, Nicola Sturgeon won’t say how many extra acute beds the government has made available, if any.
“Last week, after much stalling and leaving it so late that many tourism businesses lost out, the SNP U-turned on international travel testing rules.
“This week, we’ve not quite had another U-turn but the First Minister is clearly conceding that her vaccine passport scheme is still not ready.
“It’s typical that the SNP has ignored warning after warning from businesses for weeks - but only now does Nicola Sturgeon admit she’s botched this scheme.
“Just days before this policy comes into force, the goalposts have shifted. This last-minute partial climbdown reveals just how chaotic the setup of this scheme has been.
“It will only add to the confusion that a scheme that is legally in force won’t actually be enforced.
“Nicola Sturgeon should have listened to businesses and the opposition weeks ago, who warned this scheme would not be ready.
“The SNP Government should cut its losses on this shambles of a scheme and scrap it altogether.”