Labour MP Joe Mizzi yesterday raised a breach of privilege complaint against the Finance Minister accusing him of misleading the House in replies given to parliamentary questions by the opposition on the Mercaptan gas issue on the disposal of dangerous chemicals.

Mr Mizzi quoted from the board of inquiry report on the disposal of Mercaptan gas by Enemalta firemen published on April 30. The report said that gas from a damaged tank had been disposed of at Benghajsa while the tank itself had been decontaminated by laboratory staff at the Delimara power station.

He said that in reply to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Leo Brincat on May 7 – days after the report had been published – the Minister had said that the gas from this tank had been disposed of at Delimara when the report had indicated that this took place at Benghajsa. Mr Mizzi said that in reality there where two tanks which were lost at Qajjenza.

Mr Mizzi said it was evident that the Minister had misled the House and was hindering the opposition from scrutinising government operations. He added that in February, in reply to other parliamentary questions, the same Minister had said that the dangerous chemical had been used four years previously when the report showed otherwise.

He said that in the past the same minister had been ruled of being guilty prima facie on a breach of privilege complaint regarding a reply given to a parliamentary question. This was also proof that the Minister was disobeying the legitimate orders of the House. Mr Mizzi concluded that it was up to t he Speaker whether or not to name the minister according to the Standing Orders of the House.

Mr Speaker Michael Frendo said he would give a ruling in another sitting.