The Labour Party is expected to issue a formal position on ministerial salaries and the honoraria given to MPs, informed sources said this afternoon.

The Labour parliamentary group this afternoon held an unexpected meeting, at the same time as the issue was also being discussed down the road by the Nationalist parliamentary group at PN headquarters.

The issue was also discussed by the Cabinet this morning. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi did not give details of the outcomes and said a decision would be announced later. However informed sources said ministers would refund part of the honoraria which they have been paid since 2008.

Meanwhile, sources in the Labour Party said the party would announce its position, independently of what the government decided. The position would be announced by Labour leader Joseph Muscat.

The PL had criticised ministers for having given themselves a double pay - their ministerial salary and their honoraria as MPs. As recently as last Sunday, Dr Muscat said one could discuss reviewing ministerial salaries, but he was against having a double pay.

Dr Muscat, who was also offered the honoraria along with the Opposition leader's salary, had also declared that he would donate the honoraria (of €26,000 per year) to charity.

Opposition MPs had been left at liberty to decide whether to accept a €7,000 annual increase to their honoraria. However a fund was set up for those who opted to donate the money.