A group of Labour backbench MPs will be pocketing an extra €1 million during this legislature, over and above their normal parliamentary salaries.

The majority of Labour backbenchers were given government jobs, boosting their earnings by an average of €20,000 a year each, an exercise by The Sunday Times of Malta has shown.

All MPs receive a salary of €20,604 a year for a normal parliamentary week of three sessions between 6pm and 9.30pm. This includes long breaks for summer, Christmas and Easter.

Backbenchers are not normally given political appointments; however, during the last Nationalist administration former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had appointed most of his backbench MPs as parliamentary assistants in an attempt to accommodate some rebel parliamentarians and secure his delicate one-seat majority.

One MP, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, was appointed chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology.

While the ministerial code of ethics states that ministers must stop practising their professions upon being appointed ministers, many Labour backbenchers have ended up in a better financial position than the Cabinet members since they can still work while earning two or three extra salaries.

MP Silvio Schembri is earning €65,285 as a result of his government appointments

The Sunday Times of Malta analysis (see graphic) shows Labour’s youngest backbencher, Silvio Schembri, 27, is highest earner – with €65,285 – as a result of his various political appointments. That is €20,000 more than a minister.

Apart from his parliamentary honoraria, Mr Schembri has also been given a position of trust as a consultant to Economy Minister Chris Cardona – earning him €38,500 a year.

He was also appointed chairman of the Parliamentary Economic and Financial Affairs Committee – boosting his income by an extra €515 a month.

Last week, Mr Schembri was also appointed chairman of the Responsible Gaming foundation. However, the government said that he agreed to perform the latter post on a voluntary basis.

Another two backbenchers with substantial earnings are Żejtun backbencher Carmelo Abela – recently appointed government spokesman – and Anthony Agius Decelis.

Although the government has so far refused to divulge Mr Abela’s salary as a government spokesman, Castille sources said this is in the range of €30,000 a year.

Mr Abela, a banker by profession, is also earning an extra €10,302 a year over and above his parliamentary salary as government whip, with total earnings surpassing the €60,000 a year mark.

Contacted to specify his government salary, Mr Abela said he did not know the figure yet as he has yet to finalise his contract.

Mosta MP Anthony Agius Decelis has also been put on an income totalling more than €57,000 a year.

Following his recent resignation as a consultant to former Social Policy Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, he has now been appointed by the government as Commissioner against Bureaucracy, a full-time post, earning an extra €30,000 a year.

Former minister Charles Buhagiar, who was left out of Cabinet last year, is still managing to earn more than a ministerial salary at the same time as managing a private architecture firm.

Mr Buhagiar has been appointed chairman of the Building Industry Consultative Council, ironically set up by him when he headed the Infrastructure Ministry in Alfred Sant’s government.

For this part-time job, Mr Buhagiar is being paid almost €30,000 a year. At the same time he has also been appointed consultant to the Prime Minister on large projects.

Despite various parliamentary questions from PN general secretary Chris Said, the Prime Minister has still not divulged what Mr Buhagiar is being paid for his consultancy.

MP Silvio Parnis, who was widely believed to be earmarked for a ministerial job, receives an extra €15,000 for chairing a new council for the South of Malta and has been appointed to chair the parliamentary Bills Committee.

Only four backbenchers are so far not receiving any extra payments over and above their honoraria.

These are Karmenu Vella – who has been nominated as Malta’s next European Commissioner, Charles Mangion – who replaced Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca in Parliament and who just resigned as Enemalta chairman, and former Cabinet members Godfrey Farrugia and Franco Mercieca who have just returned to the backbench after their resignation as ministers.