Parliamentary scrutiny of regulatory authorities’ chairpersons in the pipeline

The government is working on a bill that would allow a parliamentary committee to scrutinise an individual nominated to act as chair of a regulatory authority.

The committee would be chaired by the Opposition.

Taking part in a debate organised by the Church’s Environment Commission, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that the law could be enacted next year, honouring an electoral pledge of the Labour Party.

The parliamentary scrutiny of chairpersons was heavily debated in parliament over the past weeks as MPs passed the three laws Authority, during which the Opposition and independent MP Marlene Farrugia insisted that the executive chairpersons of the environment and planning authorities should be scrutinized, prior to their appointment.

“We are preparing a law that will allow the scrutiny of chairpersons of all regulatory authorities, and not just MEPA’s,” Muscat said, adding that such regulatory bodies would also include the finance services sector.

The Prime Minister said the parliamentary scrutiny of chairpersons was an electoral pledge, which his Cabinet would be honouring.

The draft bill is still in its infancy as discussions are underway to establish which parliamentary committee would be responsible of scrutinizing the nominees.

Among other things, the draft bill would need to consider the proceedings of the committee and how the scrutiny would take place.