The Nationalist Party said today that it was pleased that the government had accepted some of its proposed amendments to the Bill introducing parliamentary hearings before some senior public appointments are made.

The PN said the government had upheld its view that nominees subject to scrutiny should personally appear before a parliamentary committee, rather than answer questions in writing, as the government originally proposed.

The government has also accepted an amendment to raise the membership of the parliamentary committee from five to seven and an amendment on the method how the parliamentary committee makes its recommendation to the government.

The opposition regretted, however, that the government was still refusing to submit for scrutiny persons appointed to various posts including the Commissioner of Police, the Commander of the armed forces, the Attorney General, and the executive chairman of the Planning Authority.