An online system allowing citizens to petition MPs has been found to be vulnerable to a technical "loophole" allowing users to sign petitions multiple times, the Clerk of the House said on Monday afternoon. 

The admission came just hours after Speaker Anġlu Farrugia pledged to simplify the online system "without compromising verification checks". 

Problems were first highlighted by opponents to changes to IVF laws, who noticed that the number of signatories for a petition calling on MPs to block legal amendments had actually declined overnight, from more than 8,000 to around 7,700.  

"It's very odd," said Gift of Life's Paul Vincenti.

"On Sunday evening we put up a Facebook post to celebrate getting more than 8,000 signatures. Then we started getting reports that the system was down... and now we find that the numbers are down to 7,700." 

The 8,000 number was also cited in a statement issued by the Office of the Speaker on Monday afternoon in which it pledged to look into ways of simplifying the petitioning process, after Gift of Life had complained that the current system was overly complex for less IT-literate people.

As of 6.45pm, the petition had 7,803 signatories. 

Once the technical "loophole" was discovered, administrators went over the list of petition signatories and struck off any double votes, the Clerk of the House said, reducing signatures for the IVF petition by a few hundred - and deflating petitioners' high spirits in the process.  

The petition in question was started by Emanuela Cachia on April 3 and is open to signature until May 31. 

MPs are currently considering changes to the Embryo Protection Act to allow for embryos to be frozen and for IVF eligibility to be broadened to same-sex couples and single mothers. 

While advocates say the changes will improve IVF success rates and help couples suffering with infertility issues conceive, critics argue that the "abhorrent" changes will lead to countless embryos going to waste and further commodify the act of child-bearing.