The House this evening continued with the debate on the Opposition's no confidence motion in the government.

The debate started yesterday and continues until Thursday.

Nationalist MP Franco Debono had originally declared he would be voting against the government but later seemed to have softened his stance and said he may abstain.

Following is the scene in the Chamber as it develops.  The debate is being reported live at:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120124/local/live-no-confidence-debate-in-second-day.403724

9.26 p.m. - Mr Spiteri ends his address. The House is now adjourning to tomorrow at 6 p.m.

9.19 p.m. - Remaining MPs in Chamber - Opposition - Dr Muscat and Dr Farrugia. Government - Dr Cassar, Dr Agius, Dr Borg, Mr Agius, Mr Micallef and Mr Galea. Mr Mifsud is still addressing the House.

9.09 p.m. - Mr Spiteri ends his speech and Philip Mifsud takes over. Says motion was moved amidst conflicting messages from the Opposition. Mr Mifsud is the last speaker today.

9.05 p.m. - Mr Arrigo goes to speak to the Prime Minister. The two are very friendly. Just before, Mr Arrigo also spoke with Dr Muscat.

9.02 p.m. - Speaker says he understand there is agreement for extension of time. Debate continues. Dr Debono leaves the Chamber.

8.51 p.m. - Mr Arrigo ends his short but lively speech. Nationalist MP Stephen Spiteri now has the floor. As soon as he stands to speak, Labour MP Owen Bonnici is heard telling PL whip Joe Mizzi that this is a historic moment (Mr Spiteri does not speak much in Parliament). He says the country has achieved good results because of how Dr Gonzi is administering the country. Dr Debono is now surrounded by Parliamentary Secretary Galea, Mr Arrigo, Mr Agius, Mr Mifsud and Mr Vassallo.

8.49 p.m. - Mr Arrigo jokes constantly during his speech and is cheered on by government MPs, especially by whip David Agius.

8.46 p.m. - Dr Gonzi acknowleges Mr Arrigo's appreciation at the Prime Minister's encouragement when he had gone through 10 months of blackmail. Says he was in constant contact with PM through e-mails and SMSs. Jokingly he said that he and the PM did not exchange as much e-mails and SMSs as much as the PM had exchanged with another person. Dr Debono fails to smile at the joke.

8.43 p.m. - Dr Gonzi is typing away on his iPad. All MPs who are still in Chamber are listening attentively.

8.42 p.m. - Mr Arrigo is continuing with his speech speaking about being kept on the backbench. Accuses The Times of not reporting him for its own reasons.

8.37 p.m. - Minister Debono ends speech, Robert Arrigo takes over. Jokingly says he also attended St Aloysius but was not in Dr Debono and Dr Muscat's class, which had a virus. MPs, including Dr Debono and Dr Muscat laugh at his joke.

8.33 p.m, - Only eight government MPs and five Opposition ones remain in the Chamber. They include Dr Debono who looks relaxed as he converses with Mr Arrigo and Parliamentary Secretary Galea.

8.27 p.m. - MPs are now trickling out of the Chamber. The debate ends at 9 p.m. and continues tomorrow.

8.18 p.m. - Dr Farrugia ends his speech. Minister Giovanna Debono takes over. Says the motion is exploiting the situation and reflected the Opposition's irresponsible behaviour, placing the interests of a political party, rather than the country, at the forefront.

8.10 p.m. - Jose Herrera, PL, joins conversation between Dr Debono and Mr Arrigo.

7.53 p.m. - Mr Bonnici ends his speech. Dr Jean Pierre Farrugia takes over. He says he presented 1,000 parliamentary questions, most of which had been passed on to him by his constituents. Dr Debono is speaking to Mr Galea.

7.51 p.m. - Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea is in the Chamber. He sits near Dr Debono.

7.48 p.m. - Edwin Vassallo, Robert Arrigo, PN and Marie Louise Coleiro, PL, are in Chamber. Mr Galea returns to Chamber. Mr Arrigo sits near Mr Mugliett and Dr Debono and the three are in conversation.

7.40 p.m. - Mr Fenech ends address. Charlo Bonnici takes over. Says Malta was being successful in Europe in spite of all challenges it is facing. Carmelo Abela and George Vella, PL, and Ninu Zammit, PN, are now also in Chamber. About 20 from the 69 MPs are in the Chamber. Dr Debono returned to Chamber which he left temporarily some minutes ago. He does not have the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying with him today.

7.25 p.m. - Dr de Marco ends address. Minister Tonio Fenech takes over. Says Opposition moved the motion but is not taking part in the debate. Says Joseph Muscat will be the country's biggest gamble.

7.22 p.m. - Leo Brincat and Chris Agius PL, as well as Philip Mifsud, PN, are in the Chamber.

7.18 p.m. - Dr de Marco accuses Opposition of democratic fraud for not saying what its policies are. He says the PN Opposition had behaved very differently in a different situation in 1998. Roderick Galdes, PL, is now also in  theChamber.

7.16 p.m. - Dr Debono is back in his seat. He speaks to Mr Mugliett. Karl Gouder, PN, is in Chamber.

7.14 p.m. -  Jesmond Mugliett, PN, enters Chamber. Sits close to the seat taken by Dr Debono who is still on the other side near Dr Deguara, Dr Farrugia and Mrs Debono. Owen Bonnici, PL and Frans Agius, PN are also in Chamber.

7.12 p.m. - Censu Galea leaves Chamber. Dr Debono is now sitting near Dr Deguara and the two are in conversation with Dr Jean Pierre Farrugia. Mrs Debono has joined in. The atmosphere seems to be changing. Nationalist MPs seem to be more friendly with Dr Debono.

7.11 p.m. - On opposition benches now - Gino Cauchi, Mr Mizzi, Dr Muscat, Dr Farrugia, Mr Parnis and Dr Dalli.

7.07 p.m. - Charlo Bonnici, PN, is also in Chamber. He is speaking to the Prime Minister.

7.06 p.m. - Dr Debono is still in conversation with Mr Galea. They have now been joined by Dr Deguara, Mr Azzopardi and Dr Jean Pierre Farrugia. Minister Giovanna Debono walks in.

7.03 - Dr Fenech Adami concludes speech. Tourism Minister Mario de Marco takes over. He said that one has to see what the situation is and ensure that this tool, with which the people's verdict can be changed, is used in a responsible manner.

7 p.m. - Dr Debono is now speaking to Censu Galea. Only Dr Sant, Mr Parnis, Dr Farrugia and Mr Mizzi remain on the Opposition benches. Minister Joe Cassar enters Chamber.

6.56 p.m. - Dr Debono is still in conversation with Speaker and Dr Dalli. He is not listening to what Dr Fenech Adami is saying.

6.55 p.m. - Minister Tonio Fenech enters Chamber. Dr Sant and Dr Muscat are having a friendly exchange.

6.53 p.m. - Dr Debono approaches the Speaker. Dr Dalli is also near the Speaker. The three are in conversation. Minister Tonio Borg enters Chamber.

6.49 p.m. - Dr Debono does not look impressed with what Dr Fenech Adami is saying. He is yawning. Dr Fenech Adami last Saturday said Dr Debono he wanted to become Prime Minister. Dr Debono denied the allegation. Louis Deguara, PN, enters Chamber.

6.47 p.m. - Mr Puli ends address. Beppe Fenech Adami takes over. He says he will be highlighting government's track record in this legislature.

6.40 p.m. - The scene in the Chamber today is very different from yesterday's. There is no procession of MPs approaching Dr Debono. There are also fewer MPs in the Chamber. Dr Debono is taking notes as Mr Puli is delivering his address. Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant enters the Chamber.

6.38 p.m. - Parliamentary Secretary Clyde Puli takes the floor. He says he is suspicious as to what the real reasons behind the motion are.

6.37 p.m. - Debate on motion about to start. Dr Mifsud Bonnici and Dr Gonzi are in conversation. They are sitting next to each other.

6.34 p.m. - About 10 people are in Strangers Gallery.

6.33 p.m. - Question time over. Papers being laid. Helena Dalli, PL, enters and shares a joke with Dr Debono.

6.31 p.m. - Heated exchange between Dr Mifsud Bonnici and Mr Mizzi ensuing. Still on first question in today's list. No confidence debate to start shortly.

6.24 p.m. - Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici replying to Dr Debono in a more timid way than when he was replying to Labour whip Joe Mizzi. Dr Debono looks frustrated and nervous. No MPs have really spoken to Dr Debono so far. Labour MP Evarist Bartolo is also in Chamber.

6.23 p.m. - Dr Debono asks if only the Statistics Authority could provide the information requested by the Opposition. If yes, why was the information requested by the opposition not given by these corporations. Prime Minister is talking on mobile phone.

6.20 p.m. - Speaker acknowledges his signal. House is in question time. Minister  Mario de Marco is now in Chamber.

6.19 p.m. - Franco Debono has gone to the clerk's table to pick up a parliamentary question sheet. He has signalled that he wants to speak.

6.18 p.m. - Other MPs in the Chamber are Clyde Puli, PN and Anglu Farrugia, PL.

6.12 p.m. - Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi walks in.

6.11 p.m. - Opposition leader Joseph Muscat walks in.

6.08 p.m. - MP Franco Debono walks in with Minister Dolores Cristina. He sits on the fourth seat from the door. The other Nationalist MPs are sitting in a group further up. Debate on the motion starts at 6.30 p.m.

6.06 p.m. - In the chamber so far are Austin Gatt, Beppe Fenech Adami, David Agius, George Pullicino, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Censu Galea and Frederick Azzopardi for the government and Silvio Parnis, Joe Mizzi and Noel Farrugia for the Opposition.