The ministries of energy and social solidarity are working on a system that will eventually see the value of energy vouchers being deducted from utility bills at source.

Steps would be taken to ensure that people with expired energy vouchers would still be able to make use of them, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said in Parliament last night.

On another issue, he said that according to Enemalta Corporation, the smart meters project will start functioning at the end of next year. He had pressed both ARMS and Enemalta to expedite the project.

Answering questions from both sides of the House that took up almost the whole of question time, he also said ARMS chief executive Wilfred Borg would remain suspended until an internal investigation was concluded, within two months at most.

Dr Mizzi said Mr Borg, who resigned as chairman of ARMS but not as CEO, had failed to deliver on his responsibilities and had been told as much in a letter from the new board announcing his suspension.

The situation had come to a head after ARMS gave the Department of Social Services erroneous information on 3,000 of 4,000 vouchers for energy allowances.

Some vouchers had been issued with nil entitlement, Dr Mizzi said.

The investigation would now seek to identify full accountability for failings, correction of all past mistakes and an assurance that there would be no repetition.

He had also commissioned a study of all processes at ARMS and would look closely at key performance indicators every month.

Towards the end of question time, Opposition MP George Pullicino insisted that Dr Mizzi withdraw a comment to the effect that the former minister was more intent on protecting the wrongdoers than the long-suffering consumer. Dr Mizzi said he also appreciated the importance that Mr Pullicino attached to good service.

At another stage of question time, Opposition leader Lawrence Gonzi asked about the merits of the ARMS acting CEO and if a call for applications had been made.

Dr Mizzi said Henry Attard was a “vastly experienced” financial controller in the primary health care system.

Answering a question by Anthony Agius Decelis (PL), he said Mr Borg was a former chief manager at Air Malta who had been transferred directly from the airline to ARMS.

In answer to other questions by Dr Gonzi, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said new ARMS chairman Anthony Valvo had not formerly been involved in organising any PL events. He was a former mayor of Xgħajra.

Dr Muscat said his Government would keep its promise of trying to rope in worthy past or present PN exponents.