Call for TV streaming of parliamentary sittings

Government whip David Agius has suggested the TV streaming of parliamentary sittings on the House website. He was speaking during Monday's meeting of the House Business Committee.

At present, parliamentary sittings and House committee meetings are streamed in audio format. Sittings of the whole House are also broadcast on PBS' Radju Parlament on 106.6 FM.

Opposition whip Joe Mizzi said Labour did not have any objections to the implementation of this suggestion. However, he recalled that when similar suggestions were made in the past, they were shot down because of technical problems.

Mr Speaker Louis Galea said the House Select Committee was discussing such issues and both sides should wait for the committee's final report.

Mr Mizzi said that it would be opportune for the Select Committee to consult with the people who were involved in the previous attempts.

The meeting decided that discussion in second reading of the Environment and Development Planning Bill would start tomorrow week if the discussion of the Budget Estimates Bill is exhausted.

The Development Bill seeks to harmonise the legislative framework regulating the protection of the environment and development planning. It also aims to secure that the principles of consistency, efficiency, accountability and enforcement are enhanced ensuring sustainable development.

Leader of the House Tonio Borg said that in all probability, Social Policy Minister John Dalli would resign his Parliamentary seat sometime after January 29th once he is approved by the EC as Malta's commissioner. Until such time as his successor is elected through the casual election Parliament had two alternatives: either to suspend all sittings and meet after the new MP takes the oath of office or discuss Bills which did not warrant a vote.

Both whips informed the Speaker of the members chosen to sit on the two new Select Committees approved before the Christmas recess.

Francis Agius would represent the government on the Select Committee on medically-assisted procreation, chaired by Nationalist MP Jean Pierre Farrugia.

The opposition member would be Michael Farrugia with Anthony Zammit as substitute member.

The Select Committee on re-codification and consolidation of laws would be made of Nationalist MP Franco Debono (Chairman), Francis Zammit Dimech (PN) and Josè Herrera (PL) as members. Owen Bonnici is the opposition's substitute member.

The House Business Committee also decided that any reports - even those in draft form for consultation purposes - by any House committee should first be laid on the Table of the House before being passed on to the media.