The Prime Minister yesterday flatly refused to be drawn into discussing a supplementary question to a parliamentary question that had not yet been answered, insisting instead on giving a written answer.
Reply to be given at another sitting
He was facing Opposition pressure on whether the ministerial code of ethics presented the possibility of waivers being granted for serving Cabinet members to continue with their private practice.
It all started when Dr Muscat was still out of the House and Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi asked whether the Prime Minister could indicate under what clause could waivers be granted from any ministerial obligation arising out of the code of ethics.
Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia, deputising, replied that a reply would be given in another sitting. He then added that the code was simply a guideline and there had been a number of such effective waivers under previous administrations.
Pressed further, he mentioned several ministers who had been allowed to lecture at the University.
Dr Azzopardi asked whether lecturing could be considered as being the same as having Cabinet members continuing to see patients and getting paid for their services. Dr Farrugia said he knew of no lecturer who was not paid for his/her services.
As Dr Muscat took his seat in the House, Opposition Whip David Agius asked if he could now answer the question himself.
Dr Muscat pointedly observed that it seemed that the age-old practice of no supplementary questions being asked when the answer to an original question was promised for a later sitting was now being put aside.
Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil asked if the Prime Minister had any problems with answering the original question.
Dr Muscat replied that he would have no problem giving a written reply when all the relevant information had been collated.
Mr Agius said that, in parliamentary practice, once a supplementary question was answered it meant that the question had been accepted. The original question had been asked on April 18 and all it took to answer would have been to search for the word “waiver” in the code of ethics.
Dr Muscat said the Labour Government would certainly not delay answers to parliamentary questions to the extent that used to happen under the previous Administration.
Transport Minister Joe Mizzi was heard remarking that the previous government took five years to answer one of his questions.
Dr Busuttil asked if the Prime Minister could at least say whether the code held out the possibility of waivers.
Again, Dr Muscat said he would answer a written question in writing in due course.
When Dr Busuttil asked how or why the Prime Minister did not know the answer, Dr Muscat said: “That is not what I said.”