The House of Representatives was suspended for a few minutes during question time this evening because of uproar when Gozo Minister Anton Refalo was being asked about works for votes in Gozo under the present administration.

Opposition deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami and outgoing PN general secretary Chris Said asked Gozo Minister Anton Refalo whether works had been carried out in private properties as claimed by the media in the past two years.

Dr Refalo said he had already given his explanation to the claim made during an adjournment but could categorically deny that, as far as his knew, no works were carried out in private properties by his ministry.

If the Nationalist Party had proof of anything, he said, it should take it to the police.

As MPs shouted across the floor, Speaker Anglu Farrugia said he was suspending the sitting.

When the sitting resumed after a few minutes, whip David Agius called on the chair to take action and stop Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi from continuously throwing insults at the Opposition leader and other Nationalist MPs.

Government whip Godfrey Farrugia said good behaviour should come from both sides. The House should be more serious and MPs should lead by example in the way they addressed one another. This, he said, counted for both sides.

Speaker Anglu Farrugia called on MPs to behave properly saying this was not the Valletta market but the House of Representatives.