To name or not to name, that was the gist of a point that was raised by Nationalist MP Ċensu Galea in Parliament yesterday.

Mr Galea remarked to the Speaker that, in the past, MPs often tabled questions in Parliament asking for information on “the company (or individual) whose details are being forwarded under separate cover”.

Just as often, the question was answered but the company or individual still remained unknown.

Then, a few days later or even on the day after, the media would reproduce the information complete with the company’s or individual’s name.

This is no way to treat Parliament

That, Mr Galea argued, was no way to treat Parliament.

The Speaker, Anġlu Farrugia, said he had pointed out several times that naming the company or individual was subject to ministerial discretion.

Parliamentary Secretary José Herrera said that if there was nothing to report, there was no point in naming a company or an individual, but if there was, even, say, in the case of three out of a group of five, then one would expect the parties on which there was information to give to be named.

The point, Opposition MP Toni Bezzina said, was who was divulging the information that was not being made available to Parliament.