Mr Speaker Michael Frendo and members of Parliament were caught by surprise yesterday when opposition whip Joe Mizzi informed the Chair that he was leaving the Chamber before a vote was taken because one of the government members was absent because he was ill, eventually pairing himself off even if pairing is not in place. He said he was doing this as a gentlemanly gesture.

As Mr Mizzi was walking out, both the Speaker and government whip David Agius thanked him for his action.

The House was taking two divisions asked by the opposition: the first vote was on the motion approving the 2010 estimates of Heritage Malta and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the debate on which was held on Tuesday. The vote resulted in 34 for and 33 against with Mr Mizzi and Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea being declared absent.

Similarly, the House approved the second reading of the Motor Vehicles Registration and Licensing Bill and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill. The Bill seeks to revise the motor vehicle registration tax system and to amend the Traffic Regulation Ordinance and the Authority for Transport in Malta Act.

If Mr Mizzi had remained in the Chamber, the vote would have been 34-34, necessiating the casting vote of the Speaker.

At the start of yesterday's sitting, the House unanimously approved the third reading of the Various Laws (Civil Matters) (Amendment) Bill, which clarifies and further reforms the laws relating to the lease of immovable property.

Membes also unanimously approved in third reading the Probation (Amendment) Bill.

This transposes the provisions of a 2008 EU Council Framework Decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition of judgments and probation decisions with a view to the supervision of probation measures and alternative sanctions into the laws of Malta.

The Bill also introduces further amendments to the Probation Act.