Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and Gozo Minister Anton Refalo this evening disagreed in Parliament on how Parliamentary questions should be answered.

Mr Bartolo agreed with the Opposition that information on ministerial travel should not be kept from Parliament.

He was speaking in Parliament during question time following the Gozo Minister’s refusal to answer repeated demands by the Opposition to give information on travel by his ministry since the election.

Minister Anton Refalo told MPs Claudette Buttigieg, Chris Said, Marthese Portelli, David Agius, Jason Azzopardi and George Pullicino that he had nothing to hide but he would only give the information requested if he was given a reason as to why this was needed.

The Opposition MPs said these were public funds and Parliament had a right to now. Moreover MPs had the duty to be transparent and give the information requested.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said he agreed with the Opposition that such information should be given. He said there were legislatures led by the PN where such information was not given and others where it was. He said he believed it should.

PN deputy leader Mario de Marco said he was an optimist and hoped that the Gozo Minister would see the light and reply as he should.

PL whip Carmelo Abela promised to see why Dr Refalo’s questions were answered in such a way and whether they could be asked again and re-answered.

Mr Bartolo gave a similar reply to Dr Refalo's in a similar question but promised that he would give the information requested by the Opposition. He said the questions were answered by staff and he did not know that such an answer was being given.

Later Prime Minister Joseph Muscat also said he believed such questions should be answered.