Muscat - Government to broaden the role of MPs

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this evening defended government plans to appoint MPs to government boards and authorities, saying the government wanted MPs to have a greater role in the decision-making process. Replying to Opposition criticism of the plans (See separate story) Dr Muscat said that what the government was proposing was far better than what the former government had done when it appointed parliamentary assistants which were nothing more than handbags with an unclear role. Under what the government was proposing, roles would be clearly defined. The government also wanted to broaden the role of the Opposition. Standing Orders would be amended so that a number of sitting s would be reserved for Opposition business, where the Opposition would set the agenda. This would not remove the right for private member’ bills. What was being done was not new and under the former government, there had been at least two MPs who headed government organisations. That concept was being extended, and the government even wanted to include the Opposition, but it had refused. Earlier, Dr Muscat said the Opposition had no grounds to attack the government about the Excessive Deficit Procedure...