The police were still investigating the screening of pornographic films by hotels and cable television, Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici told Labour MP Adrian Vassallo in reply to a parliamentary question yesterday.

Dr Vassallo said that since the law laid down that no one could profit from the screening of pornographic films, he was asking the minister why the police had not taken action against hoteliers and cable TV owners who had screened porn and in some cases even admitted breaking the law. He asked what stage the investigations had reached, six months after they were ordered by the minister.

The minister gave no details other than to say that the investigations were continuing.

Dr Vassallo had first raised the case in June and followed it up with another parliamentary question last October, when the minister said the issue involved the gathering of evidence to establish the facts on the basis of various laws which may be potentially applied, including the Criminal Code, the European Convention Act, the Broadcasting Act, and related regulations.