Updated | Parliament suspended as House waits for Speaker’s ruling

Parliament was suspended three hours this evening after an argument between a minister and her shadow minister resulted in a ruling being requested.

Both government and opposition requested a number of rulings after tempers flared up over the transfers at St Vincent de Paul.

On his part, Nationalist MP Mario Galea said Social Policy Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preca was responsible for "vindictive transfers" while the government accused Galea of incitement.

At one point, Coleiro Preca also asked the Speaker to give a ruling on "adjectives" used by Galea in her regard which she said were offensive.

After a three-hour deliberation, the Speaker ruled that both Coleiro Preca and Galea should have never used the words 'deceitful', 'incitement' and 'vindictive' in their statements when addressing one another.

The Speaker said all three words were "unacceptable" in their use in parliament and members of parliament should have "the good sense" not to resort to such attacks.

The Speaker chastised both sides of the House for having resorted to a ruling instead of having been careful in making sure that their message was delivered without "misinterpretation", "provocation" or "insults".

Farrugia accused both Coleiro Preca and Galea of having been in breach of privilege and requested both the minister and her shadow minister to withdraw their words.

Both Coleiro Preca and Galea withdrew their words... but not without first insisting they stood by their "political position".

The sitting was suspended in the middle of the parliamentary questioning time at 6.20pm and resumed at 9.30pm.