Minister’s reply on persons of trust inadequate, but Speaker can’t intervene

Speaker Anglu Farrugia has acknowledged that a government reply on persons of trust was inadequate but had no power to interfere with the content of ministerial answers.

In a ruling delivered on Monday, Farrugia said he understood why Opposition MP David Thake had complained about the reply given to him by OPM Minister Carmelo Abela but is unable to take the matter further.

Thake had asked a parliamentary question requesting that the minister table the covering letter issued to persons of trust in his ministry but in his reply, Abela tabled a copy of the public service manual governing positions of trust.

Opposition MP David Thake complained that ministerial replies on persons of trust were not addressing his questions

The Nationalist Party MP asked the Speaker for a ruling in what he described as the minister’s attempt to misguide parliament. Other ministers had also replied to the same question by tabling the manual rather than the covering letters by which persons of trust were appointed.

“While the Speaker understands how the Honourable Thake concluded that the given answer does not exactly address his question, the Speaker reiterates that which has been expressed several times by him… and past Speakers, that a Speaker has no power to interfere in any way with the content of the replies that ministers choose to give,” the ruling reads.

Quoting a previous ruling, Farrugia said he solicits ministers to give comprehensive replies to questions put to them but added that Standing Orders do not allow him to regulate the quality of the replies given.

Farrugia said that as a result, he could take no further action on Thake’s request.