Jean-Pierre Farrugia (PN) told Parliament on Monday that the introduction of divorce would heighten the strain on families and he welcomed the opposition motion to set up a committee to focus more on the family. What had to be decided was whether the committee be an independent one or whether it would fall under the aegis of the House Social Affairs Committee.

The committee had analysed various issues related to the family in the past including poverty and social exclusion. Studies showed that in Malta around 57,000 did not have the economic means to cope with everyday life.

He believed that the current capping of €49 per week for single mothers who worked part-time was too low. If for example a married woman, whose husband was sick and unable to work, earned more than €49 a week, the family would lose the social benefit granted to the husband. This definitely wasn’t a family-friendly measure and did not encourage couples to stay married. Furthermore, many couples were deciding not to get married due to such legislation.

The setting up of such a family committee could help solve such issues. It was important that the committee be given enough power to be able to put pressure on the government to change the situation.

Dr Farrugia said that the opposition was failing to be close to the vulnerable people in Malta and was only focusing on other economic groups in society who could benefit their electoral base. The only issue mentioned by the opposition which related to the lower income groups were the utility tariffs.

Mr Farrugia believed that in order to promote sustainable development, there was the need to decrease carbon emissions through carbon taxes. The solution was not to reduce the water and electricity tariffs but to help vulnerable families install solar panels and, if possible, photovoltaic panels in housing estates.

As from July, the government would be increasing rent. Persons with a high economic turnover would no longer be able to inherit rented properties. The government would thus have more residences to allocate to those who were truly in need.

The elderly were in need of an updated telephone directory. The rates of the enquiry service, which in the past had been free of charge, were much higher than the rates of normal telephone calls. Such a basic service should be provided.

Dr Farrugia said he was disappointed that the referendum had been politicised. He believed political parties could easily have restrained themselves from getting involved since it was a decision which had to be taken by the people. It was now the government’s responsibility to strengthen families and marriages and ensure that divorce legislation would be family-friendly.