Updated | Speaker finds no violation on environment committee agenda

The Speaker of the House has found no violation on the way the agenda of a parliamentary committee had been read and carried out.

On behalf of the Opposition, MP George Pullicino yesterday evening asked for a ruling from the Parliamentary Speaker, imploring him to regulate the procedure by which the Environment and Development Planning Committee is governed.

PN said that during the committee's first sitting yesterday, the government's agenda did not adhere to Environment and Planning Laws, of which Article 504 states that the committee was formed in order to revise all plans brought before it; discuss all reports referred to it from the Ministry which are related to these plans; and discuss all other plans and policies referred to it by the Ministry.

The Opposition said that it brought up this issue in yesterday's meeting, but the government chose to carry on according to the initial agenda - which, they said, resulted in no conclusions being drawn.

PN said while it is in favour of representatives from environmental groups participating, this should not deter from discussion on concrete proposals, as the Law stipulates.

It also said that the list of guests had not previously been discussed by the committee. Moreover, they said in yesterday's sitting the Opposition's committee members George Pullicino and Toni Bezzina had not been allowed by chairperson Marlene Farrugia to pose their questions.