I was intrigued by the report which said that, by the end of last year, €365.5 million from the sale of passports had been put aside in a special fund intended to finance projects of public interest. I imagine this figure has grown over the last seven months since the end of 2017.

The fund was set up in 2015 to finance projects of national importance. Social housing, better governance and healthcare improvement initiatives are among the purposes for which this fund may be used.

Even before that, the government had found funds to buy back the public lease of the Café Premier in a €4.2 million deal.

While the Bill to amend the Housing (Decontrol) Ordinance, Cap. 158 was being debated in Parliament, everybody waxed lyrical about the contribution that band clubs made to the community by, among others, teaching young musicians.

I understand that the survival and development of band clubs is considered to be of national importance and, therefore, within the remit of the National Development and Social Fund. It appears to me there is indeed enough money in the fund to support all band clubs to continue to provide community services without resorting to effectively requisitioning the premises from private owners.