Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia told Parliament yesterday that the planning authority would soon publish two new policies on shooting ranges and on cemeteries and crematoria for public consultation.

Answering a number of supplementary questions by government and opposition MPs, Dr Farrugia said the Government was considering expanding the cemetery while also introducing the possibility of crematoria.

The Church authorities had confirmed that the Church was not against crematoria as long as Catholic rites were observed. The policy would also simplify applications ensuring that the process would be in line with local plans, other policies and Maltese law.

A new policy on agro-tourism was in draft form while old polices were being reviewed, including the directive known as DC 2007 regulating most development aspects. He said it was the Government’s duty to give guidelines on what concepts Mepa should adopt.

Dr Farrugia said that between April and October this year Mepa’s revenue from 2,000 applications stood at €3.1 million – the same amount that the authority had earned for the same period before the previous administration had increased tariffs in 2010. There were four applications worth €100,000 each. Revenue this year was €1 million more than in the same period last year.