The government has approved new guidelines proposed by the Commission for the Administration of Justice, breaking an impasse surrounding a controversial fit-and-proper test.

The test - which all new lawyers are expected to sit for to be deemed of good conduct and high moral standing - had been blocked by Justice Minister Jonathan Attard.

Part of the blocked test asked aspiring lawyers to divulge any serious physical or mental health problems over a 10-year period. It also asks if they have, or had, a drug, alcohol or gambling addiction within the last decade.

However, Attard considered it too invasive and wrote to President George Vella, who presides over the commission, threatening legislative changes if the test remains in its present form.

This delayed the granting of warrants to 105 lawyers to practice law.

A group of them - 11 newly graduated lawyers - went to court complaining they had not yet been granted their warrant to practise because of the impasse.

On Wednesday, Times of Malta reported that the commission had proposed a new test.

In a statement on Friday, the government said minister Attard had approved the revised test.

In communication with the commission, Attard expressed satisfaction that the impasse had been broken following dialogue between all involved.

He said discussions should be ongoing to improve these guidelines.

The minister urged for the finalising of the revised guidelines process to ensure the 105 candidates who have already been examined, and approved by the Judiciary, receive their warrant as soon as possible.