South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has once again demanded the Scottish Government resolve cross border vaccine certification issues without delay.

The local MSP raised the issue with the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament yesterday (28 September) during Nicola Sturgeon’s COVID-19 update to MSPs.

People in Scotland will need proof they have been fully vaccinated before they can enter nightclubs and many large events from Friday (1 October.)

Colin Smyth has been contacted by several constituents who live in Scotland but work for the NHS in England, who have been vaccinated through their work south of the border, but are unable to get a vaccine passport because their home address, and GP surgery, is in Scotland.

Questioning the First Minister on the issue Colin Smyth said: “The legal obligation to present vaccine certification in order to attend large events and nightclubs is still coming into effect at 5 am on Friday.

“I ask the First Minister the same question that I raised with her two weeks ago. Many of my South Scotland constituents work in England, often for the NHS, so they were vaccinated there.

“As a result, they cannot automatically access a vaccine certificate from NHS Scotland. Will they be able to do so by Friday? Will their vaccination in England automatically be on their NHS Scotland records by 5 am on Friday?”

Commenting after the exchange in Parliament, Colin Smyth added: “The Scottish Government is running out of time to get their act together and sort this cross border chaos.

“We are just days away from the roll out of vaccine passports to nightclubs and events and the First Minister’s response did not fill me with confidence that every single person who lives in Scotland but was vaccinated in England will automatically be able access a Covid passport and I will keep raising this issue until it is absolutely resolved”