A domestic Covid passport which indicates a person’s vaccination status or a negative coronavirus test “will be useful for us as we go forward”, the Prime Minister has suggested.

Boris Johnson said there will “definitely” be a role for vaccine passports for international travel.

The government is understood to be planning a series of pilot tests for Covid passports, which could be used at the FA Cup final and other sporting events, although Downing Street maintained that any proposals were still under review.

The plans to launch the pilot in England has been met with backlash from ministers, as more than 70 MPs have joined forces to block the proposals.

Here’s how the passport system could work and what MPs have said about the plans.

Mr Johnson has said that a Covid certification scheme could involve showing whether a person has been vaccinated against coronavirus, has immunity from previously being infected with the virus, or has had a recent negative test.

The Prime Minister has said that such a document “will be useful” within the UK, with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden also suggesting that vaccine passports could also be used “in the short term” to reopen theatres and sports stadiums”.

The government is currently reviewing the issues around Covid-status certification and Mr Johnson said it was important to give “maximum confidence” to firms and customers.

Earlier this week, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer suggested the “British instinct” could be against the use of such a scheme.

But Mr Johnson defended the idea, saying “there’s definitely going to be a world in which international travel will use vaccine passports”.

During a trip to Middlesbrough, he said: “You can see already that other countries, the aviation industry, are interested in those and there’s a logic to that.”

A broad coalition of MPs and peers have signed a pledge opposing the “divisive and discriminatory” use of Covid status certification, saying the plans would deny individuals access to general services, businesses or jobs.

More than 70 MPs, including 40 Conservatives and six ex-Cabinet ministers, as well as peers from the House of Lords have launched a campaign to oppose the move.

The pledge has been signed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Conservative former leader Sir Iain Duncan-Smith, Labour former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and ex-Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, along with a string of Tory former ministers, including Esther McVey, Nus Ghani, Mark Harper and Harriett Baldwin.

Tory MP Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the 1922 Committee and is also a signatory to the pledge, insisted the aim should be to return to normal life.

“Covid-Status Certification would be divisive and discriminatory,” he said.

“With high levels of vaccination protecting the vulnerable and making transmission less likely, we should aim to return to normal life, not to put permanent restrictions in place.”

The campaign has been backed by Big Brother Watch, Liberty, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and Privacy International.

The government has insisted no final decisions have been taken on whether Covid-status certification could play a role in reopening the economy.

A spokeswoman said: “The review is considering a range of issues, including the ethical, equalities, privacy, legal and operational aspects and what limits, if any, should be placed on organisations using certification.”

It is also understood pilots of live events are due to begin in April.

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