A public service promotion video cost the government €19,550, parliament was told on Wednesday.

Answering a parliamentary question by PN MP Claudette Buttigieg, prime minister Robert Abela said the video, called Miegħek f’kull ħin, was viewed by 300,000 people and had 8,000 interactions. 

The video, he said, was aired on the national TV station and at annual conferences. 

The video follows the storyline of a woman who goes into labour on a bus, while her partner gets stuck in an elevator at work. 

Passengers on the bus help the woman contact emergency services and she is eventually rushed to Mater Dei.

In the video, the various actors refer to public services and government initiatives such as those dished out to parents and the elderly.

Buttigieg asked for a breakdown of the cost of the video and, separately, how much was spent through a public call and a direct order.

Abela said of these, €4,500 was paid to the actors, €5,000 was spent on filming and €4,800 on post-production work.

The companies chosen to produce the video "were chosen on artistic merit", he said.

He added that the video was well received by public service employees.