SNP ministers have been urged to delay the enforcement of their "fundamentally flawed" vaccine passport scheme until next year.

The Scottish Tories outlined a series of changes to "fix" the policy before businesses are forced "ever closed to a devastating cliff-edge". 

The party's economy spokeswoman Liz Smith insisted: “It is still not too late for the SNP to start listening.”

Scotland's vaccine passport scheme was launched at the start of the month, with people having to prove they are double-jabbed to enter nightclubs and many other large events.

But opposition politicians branded it an "embarrassment" after a mobile phone app to support the rollout was plagued with technical problems.

The Scottish Government previously said the scheme will not be enforced until Monday, October 18.

The Tories are now calling on SNP ministers to delay the introduction of the system until at least after the new year, to allow venues time to prepare.

The party also wants the definition of a nightclub to be revised to only include late-night venues which remain open after 2am and which are already likely to have trained door staff, as proposed by the Scottish Hospitality Group.

Elsewhere, it called for a spot-check system to be introduced in bars and nightclubs, rather than staff checking every customer, and for the percentage of attendees who must be spot-checked at large events to be significantly reduced. 

Ms Smith said: “If the SNP refuse to scrap their vaccine passport scheme, then they must now fix the fundamental flaws that have come to the fore over the past two weeks.

“These have occurred when businesses don’t even have to legally enforce it.

"The launch of this scheme has been an unmitigated disaster. Businesses are no more ready to implement the SNP’s unworkable plans today, than a fortnight ago."

A Scottish Government spokesman said the certification scheme is a "proportionate way of encouraging people to get vaccinated, and also of helping large events and night-time hospitality to keep operating during what will potentially be a very difficult winter".

He said: “We have allowed a grace period for the first two weeks of the scheme in relation to enforcement, while businesses and users become accustomed to the new rules.

"During this period we expect businesses to implement and test their approach to certification - and to prepare their compliance plans - so that they are fully prepared by October 18.

“It is important to remember the app isn’t the only means of providing proof.

"People can also present evidence of their vaccine status via the downloadable PDF or a paper copy accessible from NHS Inform – well over three quarters of a million of these have already been issued.

“Thousands of people have been able to set up their app successfully, however no-one should be turned away from a late night venue, or large scale event if they don’t have their proof of vaccination, given enforcement doesn't begin until October 18.”