British minister meets MLP delegation

Britain's Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, and British Labour MP Andrew Miller yesterday met a delegation from the Malta Labour Party led by leader Alfred Sant.

Mr Benn is here for the Commonwealth summit.

Dr Sant spoke on how the island's economic growth had shrunk in the past years, especially due to lack of investment, unemployment and the increase in the cost of living, the MLP said in a statement.

The Labour leader said the country was suffering as a result of the soaring prices of oil which "the government could have avoided through a hedging agreement".