Ministers disagree on how parliamentary questions should be answered

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and Gozo Minister Anton Refalo this evening disagreed in Parliament on how Parliamentary questions should be answered. Mr Bartolo agreed with the Opposition that information on ministerial travel should not be kept from Parliament. He was speaking in Parliament during question time following the Gozo Minister’s refusal to answer repeated demands by the Opposition to give information on travel by his ministry since the election. Minister Anton Refalo told MPs Claudette Buttigieg, Chris Said, Marthese Portelli, David Agius, Jason Azzopardi and George Pullicino that he had nothing to hide but he would only give the information requested if he was given a reason as to why this was needed. The Opposition MPs said these were public funds and Parliament had a right to now. Moreover MPs had the duty to be transparent and give the information requested. Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said he agreed with the Opposition that such information should be given. He said there were legislatures led by the PN where such information was not given and others where it was. He said he believed it should. PN deputy leader Mario de Marco said he was an optimist...