(Adds PN and PL statements)

The government has given notice of a procedural motion which will change the regular timetable of the House of Representatives for the first time in some 30 years so that Wednesday sittings will start being held between 10 a.m. and 1.30 p.m.

Regular sittings are currently held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. with the adjournment being moved at 9 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday sittings will continue to be held at 6 p.m.

The motion was presented after the Opposition late yesterday demanded a sitting on Thursday to debate a private motion calling on the government to withdraw its support for the underground extension of the museum of St John's Co-Cathedral. Opposition whip Joe Mizzi said he was making his request on the basis of standing orders. He pointed out that the government had not moved a procedural motion to override the timetable established by the Orders - as is normally done at the start of every legislature.

Mr Mizzi's request was turned down by the Speaker, who ruled that House business for his week had been agreed in the House Business Committee.

The government and the opposition have also failed to agree on a pairing agreement which the government needs to enable the House to continue to function even if ministers are away on government business. The government only has a majority of one in the House.

The new motion says changes to the timetable of the House are needed because ministers and MPs occasionally need to be away on official business. The time had also come, the motion says, for the quorum rule to be updated.

PARLIAMENTARY VOTING ON WEDNESDAYS

The procedural motion also provides that when a division (a vote) is called, in whichever sitting, it will be taken on the following Wednesday. Divisions called on Wednesday will be taken on that day at 1 p.m. during the interruption of business. Should more than one division be called, they would be taken in chronological order. However, in moving the adjournment before the Wednesday sitting, a minister may provide that a division be taken in another sitting within a week.

QUORUM

On quorum calls, the procedural motion says that when a sitting is interrupted because of a lack of quorum, it may resume before the expiry of the 20 minutes currently provided by Standing Orders if the Chair is satisfied that enough MPs are present. To date, a sitting remains interrupted for the full 20 minutes.

The motion also provided that any time taken on quorum calls will be added to the sitting.

The procedural motion also provides for sittings to be held on any morning, except on Sundays, as required.

PN STATEMENT

The Nationalist parliamentary group in a statement said that the changes to the timetable of the House were needed so that the House could function effectively in the absence of a pairing arrangement – eight months after the legislature opened.

The group pointed out that since Malta is a member of the EU, ministers and MPs from both sides of the House have a duty to participate in EU and other international fora. However the Labour opposition had continued to refuse to reach agreement for the introduction of new procedures for the better running of the House.

The group said the government had shown good will on the issue and in April it made a series of proposals, which included the nomination of the Speaker. The Labour Party promised to reply by June 21, but nothing materialised. Indeed, the PN group claimed, the Opposition continued to adopt systems which hindered the efficient running of the House.

The PN group referred to what happened in the House yesterday and said the Opposition’s real strategy was to hinder government and parliamentary business.

The group said that it was therefore backing the procedural motion so that Parliament could function better and the government could better safeguard Malta’s interests in EU and international meetings.

PL STATEMENT

The Labour Party in a statement this evening said the way how the government had presented this motion showed its arrogance.

It pointed out that the motion was presented by the Prime Minister after he yesterday opposed a call for the motion on St. John's Museum to be debated this Thursday.

"Lawrence Gonzi expects the Opposition to request his permission for the House to debate business which it considers to be important," the PL said.

It said the Opposition was acting in a constructive manner in the House, as confirmed by Social Policy Minister John Dalli himself in this evening's winding-up of the debate on the Rent Reform Bill.

On the other hand, the Prime Minister wanted 'to dictate' the Opposition's right for debate in a manner which confirmed the government's consistent arrogance, the PL said.

It said the Opposition would continue to insist on its right for private motions to be debated.

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