The PM said there would be no need for people to prove they had been vaccinated for the reopening of shops and pub gardens next week. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there were “ethical and practical issues” with vaccine passports but some test events will be launched in the next few weeks.

He told a Downing Street briefing on Monday: “I want to stress there are complicated ethical and practical issues as I think I said last time raised by the idea of Covid status certification using vaccination alone.

“Many people will be for one reason or another unable to get a vaccine, for medical reasons for instance, or perhaps because they’re pregnant.

“So you have to be very careful how you handle this and don’t start a system that is discriminatory.

“But obviously we are looking at it – we want to be going ahead in the next few weeks with some test events, some pilot events. Big events, getting 20,000 people into Wembley on May 15, that kind of thing.

“Getting people back into theatre, that will unquestionably involve testing to allow the audience really to participate in the numbers that people want.”

When asked if there will be a vote on the issue in Parliament Mr Johnson said: "We are taking too many fences at one, first we need to work out what exactly the proposal might be, but certainly if there is something to put to Parliament, I am certain we will do that."

Asked whether children will be required to have vaccine passports should they be implemented, Boris Johnson said: “We’re a way off implementing or enacting anything of the kind for anybody, let alone children.

“I’ve spelt out the ways in which we might think of doing that but it’s not for steps two or three in any event.”