Social Policy Minister John Dalli yesterday in Parliament sought to lay to rest the notion that any and every Cabinet minister must perforce be aware of every titbit going on within his or her ministry. A minister had to have trust in executives.

He was answering a supplementary question by Opposition Whip Joe Mizzi on what political responsibility was borne by the Prime Minister for the fact that Mepa had taken no steps about an illegal development by the Public Cleansing Department at Corradino in 2005.

The development had been the subject of an enforcement notice that the department had not heeded, yet Mepa had been complacent and done nothing to redress the situation.

Mr Mizzi said that since the development was illegal, the original application itself should not even have been considered.

Mr Dalli said Mepa had its own procedures. It would surely be wrong to heed any advice not to act on any illegality.

Opposition MP Leo Brincat, reacting to the Prime Minister's official answer to another question, said it was wrong for Mepa case officers to endorse their own reports in 211 cases, especially when major projects were involved.

Dr Gonzi had answered that there was nothing legal or procedural that precluded this from happening.

Answering a supplementary question by Mr Brincat on Dr Gonzi's behalf, Minister Dalli said the preferred practice would be for any case officer not to endorse his own report, especially on major projects. He augured that a system to preclude this would be in place as soon as possible.