Updated: 3.20 p.m.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Frendo, this afternoon rejected an Opposition request for the debate on the holding of a divorce referendum to be held in the House tomorrow. However the Opposition insisted that a vote should be held.

Labour MP Joe Mizzi made the request.

He said that since no agreement on the date of the debate had been reached at a meeting of the House Business Committee, he was calling for the House to discuss the motion tomorrow, which, in terms of standing orders, is the day reserved for private business.

He accused the government of 'obstructing' and said that there was a clear majority in the House in favour of holding the debate tomorrow.

Mr Mizzi insisted that the unofficial seven-day notice period before business came before the House did not apply for private motions. And in any case, the Opposition had proposed holding the debate on Friday week, but the government disagreed.

Mr Mizzi requested a ruling from the Speaker and said that he was requesting a House vote on the adjournment ruling.

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, Leader of the House said there were rulings which laid down that notice had to be given before a vote on the adjournment motion was moved. He insisted that the government wanted the motion to be discussed in the near future, but the procedure proposed by the Opposition had never been followed before.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said there was consensus that a referendum should be called. The debate on the referendum was less contentious than the actual debate on the divorce bill, Dr Pullicino Orlando said, and he was therefore backing the Opposition call.

The Speaker, Michael Frendo, after adjourning the House to consider the request, ruled that the House Business Committee had not agreed on a programme of work which included tomorrow and, in terms of standing orders, the House had to meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday. He therefore turned down the Opposition request.

Mr Mizzi said he was requesting a vote on the adjournment motion and he was moving that the House meets tomorrow.

Dr Borg said notice had to be given before a motion to amend the adjournment motion.

The sitting was again interrupted for the Speaker to consider his decision.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110216/local/government-cannot-give-date-on-divorce-referendum-debate-pn-group-still-to-discuss-it