The Labour MP named as government spokesman sees nothing wrong in he himself putting questions in Parliament to the Office of the Prime Minister to which he is assigned.

Speaking to Times of Malta following his first official briefing after more than two months into his new full-time job at Castille, Carmelo Abela defended his dual role as spokesman and MP.

After his appointment in last March’s Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Abela still tabled parliamentary questions to government ministers including to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

“I am not a member of the Executive because that role is only reserved to ministers and parliamentary secretaries,” he said.

“I don’t think that my questions to the Prime Minister were in any way embarrassing to the government and, therefore, I don’t see why I can’t continue to put parliamentary questions.” Sporting a flashy blue tie – similar to Dr Muscat’s favourite colour – a well-groomed Mr Abela made his debut speaking on the conclusions of a Cabinet meeting.

Well prepared and following his brief, he explained that his role would be to facilitate communications between the government and journalists.

That would not overlap with what the government communications office within the Prime Minister’s secretariat did.

A banker by profession, Mr Abela said he still did not know what his financial package would be. “I have no problem telling you when I sign my contract,” he said. “It will be more than the minimum wage but less than €1.5 million,” he added with a smile.

When told that at times the Office of the Prime Minister took months to reply to questions by Times of Malta, Mr Abela promised he would try to intervene to make the communications office act faster.