Parliamentary committee line-up approved

The composition of the various permanent parliamentary committees was unanimously approved at the start of the plenary session on Monday.

Leader of the House and Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech tabled the respective motions with the names of the government and opposition MPs sitting on these committees, which were then approved.

Former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech will be chairing the Public Affairs Committee while the opposition will be represented by Kristy Debono and Claudio Grech the other opposition MPs.

The government MPs in the PAC are Konrad Mizzi, Owen Bonnici, Chris Agius and Justyne Caruana.

The House Business Committee will be chaired by the Speaker with Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the House Louis Grech, with Carmelo Abela and Deborah Schembri sitting on the government side while David Agius and Simon Busuttil will be the opposition MPs.

The Speaker will also chair the Committee of Privileges whose members will be the same as those sitting on House Business Committee (see above).

The Committee for Foreign and European Affairs will be chaired by government MP Chris Fearne, as was recently announced.

Its members will be Foreign Minister George Vella, Luciano Busuttil, Marlene Farrugia and Silvio Schembri representing government, while Jason Azzopardi, Toni Bezzina, Ryan Callus and Francis Zammit Dimech will represent the opposition.

Government MP Deborah Schembri will chair the Social Affairs Committee. The other government MPs will be Etienne Grech, Silvio Parnis and Joseph M Sammut, while Claudette Buttigieg, Robert Cutajar and Marthese Portelli will be the opposition MPs.

The Committee for Family Affairs will be chaired by government MP Anthony Agius Decelis. Etienne Grech and Deborah Schembri will be the other two government MPs while Joe Cassar and Paula Mifsud Bonnici will be the representing the Opposition.

Government MP Luciano Busuttil will chair the Consideration of Bills Committee, whose members vary according to the bill on the committee's agenda.

On Tuesday parliament will debate another motion, this time for the setting up of the recently-announced Parliamentary Committee for Economic and Financial Affairs, which will be chaired by government MP Silvio Schembri.