The authorities were taking all the necessary steps to tackle the benefits fraud scandal, the Office of the Prime Minister said on Sunday, as it asked for the latest claims to be substantiated.

Its statement followed an interview in Times of Malta with three of the illicit benefit recipients, including a man who said a Labour Party canvasser and a former minister’s aide had lured him into the racket in return for his vote and a kickback.

The interview followed the newspaper's revelations a week ago that former Labour MP Silvio Grixti has been implicated in a years-long racket to help “hundreds” of people fraudulently receive monthly disability benefits they were not entitled to.

The OPM reiterated on Sunday that it had immediately reported the benefits abuse to the police as soon as it became aware something could be amiss back in 2021.

This was proof it did not tolerate illegality, the OPM said.

It added that political decisions were taken as soon as it became known how the investigation was developing.

Neither did it result that anyone at Castille’s customer care had directed anyone to do anything illegal, the OPM insisted.

It said the people Times of Malta spoke to had already been investigated by the authorities. The government, however, encouraged them to come up with proof, including names, to substantiate their claims and help the police in the investigation.

The people referred to by those interviewed should face justice, the OPM added. Only in this way could the truth be separated from comments and insinuations intended for political gain.

Several groundless accusations had been made over the last few days and some of them had been withdrawn.

This clearly showed, the OPM said, that people were using the case for ulterior motives and wanted to manipulate information.

Moreover, the government was not just interested in justice but in strengthening its systems to reduce the possibility of abuse.

Already there were robust systems in place against abuse at the Social Security Department and the Financial Aid and Observance Division. In fact it was through them that a number of suspected cases had been identified and passed on to the police. However, the government felt there should be an evaluation of the processes to further strengthen them where necessary, the OPM said.

That was why the government had appointed an independent board to evaluate how benefits for disability were granted.

The OPM also cited the introduction of measures aimed at making work pay in order to reduce dependence on social benefits. And it was determined that social benefits should be granted only to those who deserved them.

The OPM described as groundless the opposition’s allegation of abuse linked to the buying of votes. Action on the case had already been taken before the last election.

What was sure, the OPM said, was that the authorities had taken and would continue to take all the necessary steps, contrary to what used to be done under previous administrations.

Earlier on Sunday, the PN asked for Parliament to be recalled to debate the scandal.