Chair's ruling on closed door meetings

The Speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday upheld a request by Labour MP Joe Mizzi to be given the transcript of a sitting of the House Social Affairs Committee held behind closed doors.

In a ruling, Anton Tabone observed that Standing Orders did not provide for the procedure to be followed when committee sittings were held in camera.

He said that following views expressed in the last House Business Committee meeting and after considering the procedure in the House of Commons, he was recommending that:

Sittings in camera should be the exception not the rule;

Sittings should be held behind closed doors after agreement by the members following a formal request that listed the reasons for such a request;

Closed door meetings should be recorded and a transcript made. They should be accessible only to the committee members and their substitutes but may also be given to other MPs on request to the president of the committee. Such records cannot be given to the media.

All MPs may attend closed door committee meetings but may not participate except by request.

Any committee meeting behind closed doors may decide, for particular reasons, not to apply these recommendations.