Last Friday Paul Scully, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy responded to a written question from Caroline Lucas who is the MP for Brighton Pavilion. His response was fascinating when he said “Ministers have engaged regularly with businesses throughout the pandemic” as this seems rather hard to understand. There is very little indication of the engagement that he is claiming for apart from the funders for the Tory Party like JCB that pay people like Boris Johnson for attending their locations. Indeed many MPs don’t engage with businesses very much so it seems unlikely that Paul Scully and his colleagues are genuinely engaging with businesses. Perhaps if he is trying to be honest he could explain how and when the Ministers are willing to engage with businesses and they could report each time that it happens! Anyway back to the question and answer, perhaps my friend who runs a local nightclub could check to see if the the comment that their engagement is including nightclub representatives!

Caroline: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of the night time economy on the possible introduction of covid-19 passports for access to night time venues; what assessment he has made of the potential effect of such passports on the number of people attending night time venues; if he will make it his policy to provide that sector with (a) clear guidance, (b) adequate notice and (c) a time table setting out Government plans to introduce such passports as a requirement to enter a night time venue; and if he will make a statement.

Paul: The Government has previously set out that it believes that COVID-status Certification could play an important role domestically and as a temporary measure. We have not taken any final decisions but have committed to set out the conclusions of the Review ahead of Step 4 of the Roadmap. Ministers have engaged regularly with businesses throughout the pandemic including nightclub representatives.