Parliament approves motion setting up ethics committee

Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House Louis Grech has tonight presented a motion for the setting up of a Parliamentary Ethics Committee as pledged in Labour's electoral manifesto. The motion was unanimously approved by parliament without a debate.

The committee will be chaired by the Speaker and the members will be government MPs George Vella and Justyne Caruana and Nationalist MPs Francis Zammit Dimech and Ryan Callus.

The proposal, which featured in Labour's manifesto was also supported by Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil who earlier this month tabled a similar motion. 

In comments after the resolution was passed by parliament, Louis Grech said that this development was important not only for the positive changes that it will bring along but also because it sends a positive message to the electorate. 

"This sends a clear message to our electorate: we are capable of putting partisan politics aside and reaching consensus. I believe that there are more areas where both parties can seek collaboration achieving a more mature type of politics in the interest of all our electorate".