Lawrence Mizzi, the Energy Minister’s father, is expected to be appointed as the chairman of Industrial Projects and Services Limited (IPSL), which employs workers who are assigned to different councils.

Sources close to the Government confirmed the appointment, which has yet to be formally announced.

He will replace former Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin official Joe Grillo. Sources said Mr Grillo has already been informed about his imminent departure.

IPSL was set up in 2003 to absorb employees from different parastatal institutions such as Malta Drydocks, Malta Shipbuilding, the Malta Development Corporation, Sea Malta and the Institute for the Promotion of Small Enterprise (IPSE).

More recently, it engaged the remaining Malta Shipyards employees.

When contacted, a government spokesman would not confirm the appointment, promising to get back with a reply, that did not arrive by the time of writing.

Mr Mizzi (senior) is an economics graduate who started his professional career with Air Malta in 1974.

Five years later he was appointed personal secretary to the chairman, leading business initiatives and overseeing the formation of subsidiary companies that the airline has now relinquished.

He is a council member of the Malta Employers Association.