HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Annual Report

2014

1. HOUSE BUSINESS

1.1 Overview

As can be seen from the information contained in this report, 2014 was another busy year for the Maltese and its members. The report of the year’s activities highlights both the traditional legislative and scrutiny parliamentary functions carried out by the House and also the function of parliamentary diplomacy, the role of which is developing steadily from one year to the next, particularly in the field of interparliamentary cooperation in affairs.

This year, the House, in a special sitting held on 4 April in the Throne Room of the Grand Master’s Palace, unanimously approved the election of former Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, as the next President of the Republic of , making her the 11th President to serve the country since Malta became a republic in 1974. This led to the first change in the composition of the House of the year. The second change happened in October when former Minister for Tourism resigned from the House in order to become Malta’s representative in the .

1.1.1 New initiatives taken by in 2014

A number of new initiatives were taken by the House in 2014:

 In addition to the quarterly publication mill-Parlament which was launched at the beginning of the current , the Office of the Speaker published the first two volumes of Is-Sedja Titkellem, a collection of rulings by the Chair.  Following the unanimous approval of Motion No. 106 presented on 10 March by Opposition Member Hon. Claudio Grech, the House set up a new standing committee, the Standing Committee on Health, to be chaired by Hon. Etienne Grech.  On 24 March the Speaker tabled in the House the final report of the Select Committee on standards, ethics and proper behaviour in public life. This report calls for the setting up of a Commissioner and a Standing Committee on Standards in Public Life. The relevant bill was subsequently published on 15 July 2014.  On 21 May the Speaker tabled in the House a report of the commission on the administrative autonomy for the Maltese Parliament, including a draft bill which would bring such autonomy into effect.  With the approval of the House Business Committee, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia reached an agreement with one of the main providers of TV services in Malta to start the live video-transmission of parliamentary debates once Parliament moves to the new building at the entrance to .  In addition to the traditional exchange of New Year’s greetings at the offices of the President, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and with the ecclesiastical authorities, this year the Speaker of the House, Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, together with Deputy Speaker Hon. Ċensu Galea and the Deputy Whips Hon. Deborah Schembri and Hon. Frederick Azzopardi, welcomed in the House, representatives of the constituted bodies, civil society and the general public on 31 December.

1.1.2 Composition of Parliament

During the year under review the composition of the House changed twice:

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 On 1 April former Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, Hon. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, submitted her resignation from Member of the House of Representatives. During the same sitting the House unanimously approved a motion thanking Dr for his service as President of the Republic and also unanimously approved a motion on the nomination of Mrs Coleiro Preca as the next President of the Republic. The resignation of Hon. Coleiro Preca resulted in a vacancy in the Sixth for which a casual election was held on 15 April. Notary was elected in this election, and took the oath as Member of the House of Representatives the following day, on 16 April.  On 27 October Hon. Karmenu Vella submitted his resignation from Member of the House of Representatives in order to take up the position of European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. This resignation resulted in a vacancy in the Fifth Electoral District for which a casual election was held on 6 November. Mr Joseph Farrugia was elected in this election, and took the oath as Member of the House of Representatives on 10 November.

1.2 Legislative Programme

During 2014, 43 Acts were enacted by Parliament, 8 of which were principal Acts and 35 amendment Acts.

1.2.1 New legislation and objectives behind the following bills

Act No. IX of 2014 - Civil Unions Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are the introduction of the right of persons, whether of the same or of opposite sexes, to contract a civil union. The underlying principle of this Act is to equate civil unions with marriages, in terms of procedure and substance in a manner that guarantees equal rights to parties in a civil union as are granted to spouses in a marriage.

The equation approach should guarantee enjoyment of equal rights and obligations across all areas of law and social life.

Act No. XIX of 2014 - Convention on Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification) Act

The object of this Bill is to enable Malta to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, and for matters ancillary or relating thereto.

Act No. XX of 2014 - Youth Work Profession Act

The object of this Bill is to establish the Youth Work Profession Board, setting out its composition, functions and procedures for meetings, as well as to regulate the youth work profession, establishing codes of conduct and penalties for the infringement thereof.

Act No. XXVII of 2014 - Fiscal Responsibility Act

The objects of this Bill are to provide for a law on fiscal responsibility, for the establishment of a Fiscal Council, and for matters ancillary or related thereto

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Act No. XXVIII of 2014 - Continental Shelf Act

The main objective of this Bill is to bring the Continental Shelf Act (Cap. 194) in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and to replace the Act by a transitional arrangement.

Act No. XXXIV of 2014 - (Transfer of Assets, Rights, Liabilities and Obligations) Act

The objects of this Bill are to make provision for the transfer of all the assets, rights, liabilities and obligations of Enemalta Corporation to Enemalta plc, to regulate the functions of distribution system operators, to repeal the Enemalta Act, and to make provision with respect to matters ancillary thereto or connected therewith.

Act No. XXXIX of 2014 - Appropriation (2015) Act

This Bill provides for the application of a sum not exceeding €2,539,983,333 for the service of the financial year 2015 to meet expenditure under the different Votes in the Schedule to this Bill.

Act No. XL of 2014 - Second (2014) Appropriation Act

This Bill provides for the application of a sum not exceeding €226,587,973 for the service of the Financial year 2014 to meet expenditure under the Votes specified in the First Schedule to the Bill in addition to €2,227,897,692 appropriated by Act No. XVI of 2013 and for the appropriation of a further €27 for the service of the financial year 2014 to repay an equivalent amount withdrawn from the Contingencies Fund during the financial year 2014 under the Votes specified in the Second Schedule to the Bill.

1.2.2 Amendment Acts and objectives behind the following amendment bills

Act No. I of 2014 - Criminal Code (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to make provision for the offences of female genital mutilation, forced sterilization and forced marriage.

Act No. II of 2014 - Criminal Code (Amendment No. 2) Act

The object of this Bill is to provide a provision relative to the forfeiture of parental authority over children.

Act No. III of 2014 - Criminal Code (Amendment No. 3) Act

The objects of this Bill are to amend the provisions of the Criminal Code regarding the exemption from criminal responsibility of minors under fourteen years of age and minors under sixteen years of age acting without mischievous discretion, and the provisions relating to moderation in correcting another person.

Act No. IV of 2014 - Various Laws (Criminal Matters) (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to provide for swifter procedures in cases of admissions of guilt, to transpose Directive 2010/64/EU of the and of the Council of 20 October 2010 on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings, to transpose Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of

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Act No. V of 2014 - Criminal Code (Amendment No. 4) Act

The object of this Bill is to amend the Criminal Code providing for an increase in the punishment for the offences of vilification, threats or bodily harm against other public officers.

Act No. VI of 2014 - Consumer Affairs (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to amend the Consumer Affairs Act and to repeal the Trade Descriptions Act so that the transposition of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC) is completely in line with the same Directive.

Act No. VII of 2014 - and Various Electoral Laws (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are the alignment of articles 54(1)(f) and 58(b) of the Constitution of Malta for the avoidance of doubt and the making of various provisions in respect of voting by persons resident in hospitals or in residential homes.

Act No. VIII of 2014 - Communications Laws (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to amend three laws relating to the postal and electronic communications sectors both to improve the organization and management of the public authorities concerned and to provide for the implementation of developments in the sectors including Malta’s Community obligations.

Act No. X of 2014 - Constitution of Malta (Amendment) Act

The objects of the Bill are to amend the provision of protection from discrimination provided in article 45 of the Constitution of Malta, Chapter IV, Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual.

The amendment will introduce immediate protection from discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation thereby ensuring that no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect, nor any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority may cause a person to experience discriminatory treatment on the ground of sexual orientation. This is expected to provide protection from discrimination in different areas of law and in one’s various life experiences. Introducing protection within the Constitution further strengthens Parliament’s commitment in this area; a commitment that started with the introduction of protection from discrimination under the Employment and Industrial Relations Act, the Equality for Men and Women Act and subsidiary legislation made thereunder, as well as the criminal sanctioning of homophobic actions under the Criminal Code. It is expected that this amendment will provide redress to victims of discrimination in other areas which do not at present include an obligation of equality on the ground of sexual orientation. These other areas will include for example health, education, personal integrity and personal life.

The amendment retains the State’s discretion to legislate and regulate areas related to matters of personal law and thereby does not provide for same sex marriages. The

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regulation of this area of law is one that relies heavily on deep-rooted social and cultural connotations, and revolves around the right to marry, which is to date not established to include a right to same-sex marriages.

The amendment also brings the protection from discrimination contained in the Constitution in line with the protection contained in the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and makes such protection justiciable, thereby empowering victims to seek redress.

Act No. XI of 2014 - Trusts and Trustees (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to reinforce the regulatory regime already in place for trusts and trustees as well as to clarify some of the provisions of the Trusts and Trustees Act which have given rise to misinterpretations.

Act No. XII of 2014 - Budget Measures Implementation Act

The objects of this Bill are to implement various Budget measures and other administrative measures.

Act No. XIII of 2014 - Malta Armed Forces (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to delete any reference to recruitment below the age of 18 years.

Act No. XIV of 2014 - Airports and Civil Aviation (Security) (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is the change of nomenclature of the Manager Airport Security to that of Head Aviation Security, for the purpose of better reflecting actual functions in the field of aviation security.

Act No. XV of 2014 - Identity Cards and Other Identity Documents (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are primarily to review a number of provisions within the Act in order to avoid discrimination against two categories of citizens: returning migrants whose use of the identity document as a travel document was being prohibited for the first six months of residence (whereas this did not apply in all other cases) and citizens who are not in a position to register their Act of Birth at the Public Registry (and consequently cannot apply for an Identity document because the identity document number was exclusively linked to the Public Registry Number). One additional amendment clarifies that the address to be recorded in the identity document shall be located in the Maltese Islands.

Act No. XVI of 2014 - Local Councils (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to provide the right to vote as from the 2015 elections of the Local Councils and Administrative Committees of Communities to those persons that have attained the age of sixteen years. Act No. XVII of 2014 - General Elections (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to make provision for the registration of voters who are persons that have attained the age of sixteen years.

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Act No. XVIII of 2014 - Equality for Men and Women (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to substitute article 19(2) of the Equality for Men and Women Act regarding the burden of proof in civil proceedings, with a view to transposing article 19 of Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation (recast).

Act No. XXI of 2014 - Marriage (Amendment) Act

The objects of this Bill are to update the Marriage Act in view of the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the Holy See and Malta on the Recognition of Civil Effects to Canonical Marriages and to the Decisions of the Ecclesiastical Authorities and Tribunals about the Same Marriages, signed between the Holy See and the Republic of Malta.

Act No. XXII of 2014 - Investment Services (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to transpose certain provisions of Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC.

Act No. XXIII of 2014 - Commissioner for Revenue (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to set up the Remission of Interest Board for the purpose of making recommendations to the Commissioner with regard to any application made by any person under any regulations as may be made from time to time under the revenue acts and providing for the remission of any amount due to a revenue department under the revenue acts. The Bill also provides for the composition of such Board and the tenure of office of members thereof.

Act No. XXIV of 2014 - Various Laws (Criminal Matters) (Amendment No. 2)

The objects of this Bill are to implement the provisions of Council Framework Decision 2008/675/JHA on taking account of convictions in Member States of the European Union in the course of new criminal proceedings, to implement the provisions of Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA on the fight against organised crime, to implement Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping-up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime.

Furthermore, amendments of various laws are also being introduced to allow the prosecution to classify the gravity of certain offences and determine the court in which the persons accused of those offences are to be tried for the purpose of providing guidelines on the manner of such classification, for providing opportunity to the accused to seek judicial review of such classification and for providing for a power of the court to apply a lesser scale of punishments notwithstanding such classification. The Bill also makes amendments to the Conduct Certificates Ordinance for the purposes of making provision in respect of the circumstances in which a Form C declaration may be sought and for providing for certain first offences.

Act No. XXV of 2014 - Civil Code (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to provide for the Register for Civil Unions, to provide for the power of the Minister responsible for the Public Registry to make regulations in order to add new

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forms or to amend or to modify any of the forms found in Part II of the First Schedule to the Code and to add new Form KK.

Act No. XXVI of 2014 - Interpretation (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill consist of the amendment of various laws which provide for a negative resolution procedure for the revocation or amendment of subsidiary legislation for the purpose of allowing more flexibility in the Parliamentary calendar with regard to the discussion and voting on motions to impugn subsidiary legislation.

Act No. XXIX of 2014 - Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone (Amendment) Act

The main objective of these amendments is to bring the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act (Cap.226) in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Act No. XXX of 2014 - Patents and Designs (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to provide for the introduction of a schedule of inventions which may be protected in Malta either under the Patent Co-operation Treaty or the European Patent Convention, for the setting up of a Patents Tribunal, the composition and functions thereof, as well as for the possibility of applying for a revocation of a patent and priority claims before the Comptroller.

Act No. XXXI of 2014 - Criminal Code (Amendment No. 5) Act

The objects of this Bill are to insert in the Criminal Code harsher penalties on persons found guilty of abuse or violence on elderly and vulnerable people.

Act No. XXXII of 2014 - Broadcasting (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to ensure that freedom to broadcast and receive broadcasts and freedom of reception and retransmission are safeguarded in line with the provisions of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (Directive 2010/13/EU).

Act No. XXXIII of 2014 - Children and Young Persons (Care Orders) (Amendment) Act

The object and reasons of this Bill are to provide a mechanism for review of care orders on the request of the parent or the guardian of the child or young person.

Act No. XXXV of 2014 - Animal Welfare (Amendment) Act

The main objects and reasons of this Bill are to provide for the establishment of the office of Director for Animal Welfare, to provide for the new composition of the Animal Welfare Council, to provide for the appointment of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare and to designate powers thereto, to provide for a prohibition on the use of animals in circuses, to strengthen enforcement powers and better define the powers of animal welfare officers which are not specifically mentioned in the principal Act, and to review fines for offences committed under the principal Act or regulations made thereunder.

Act No. XXXVI of 2014 - Social Security (Amendment) Act

The objects of this Bill are to streamline the provisions of the Social Security Act relating to pension age and third pension in line with the provisions of the Special Funds (Regulation) Act and the Retirement Pensions Act.

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Act No. XXXVII of 2014 - Income Tax (Amendment) Act

The objects of this Bill are to update the Income Tax Act by the introduction of provisions relating to investment income from retirement schemes.

Act No. XXXVIII of 2014 – Probation (Amendment Act)

The object of this Bill is to amend article 21 of the Probation Act by extending the provisions thereof to include also the Criminal Court and the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Act No. XLI of 2014 - Lotteries and Other Games (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to amend the nomenclature of the Authority established by the Lotteries and Other Games Act, Cap. 438 of the Laws of Malta, from Lotteries and Gaming Authority to .

Act No. XLII of 2014 - Local Loans (Registered Stock and Securities) Ordinance (Amendment) Act

The object of this Bill is to enable the Minister for Finance to raise money by way of loan for the purpose of providing financial support to credit institutions in the context of a financial crisis in view of preserving financial stability in terms of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 15 May 2014 establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms and the Communication from the Commission on the application, from 1 August 2013, of State aid rules to support measures in favour of banks in the context of the financial crisis (‘Banking Communication’) (2013/C 216/01).

Act No. XLIII of 2014 - Value Added Tax (Amendment) Act

The objects and reasons of this Bill are to enable the recovery of input tax attributed to supplies taxed outside Malta, but treated as exempt without credit supplies in Malta.

1.3 Parliamentary Questions

6,684 parliamentary questions were submitted in 2014. 6,476 questions, requiring an oral reply, were raised and answered, whereas out of 208 parliamentary questions requiring a written reply, 157 were answered in 2014.

1.4 Ministerial Statements

The following 10 ministerial statements were delivered in the House during 2014:

Sitting No. 106 – Statement by the Prime Minister, Hon. , on the 13 January European Council held on 19 and 20 December 2013

Sitting No. 119 – Statement by the Minister for Energy and the Conservation of 12 February Water, Hon. , on the situation at Enemalta Corporation in connection with the theft of electricity

Sitting No. 124 – Statement by the Minister for Energy and the Conservation of 25 February and Sitting Water, Hon. Konrad Mizzi, on an update in connection with the

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No. 125 - 26 February theft of electricity

Sitting No. 128 – 11 March Statement by the Minister for Energy and the Conservation of Water, Hon. Konrad Mizzi, on the Shanghai Power Electric Investment in Enemalta

Sitting No. 134 – 26 March Statement by the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, on the European Council held on 20 and 21 March

Sitting No. 169 – 30 June Statement by the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, on the European Council held on 26 and 27 June

Sitting No. 174 – 9 July Statement by the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Hon. Emanuel Mallia, on reforms in the Police Corps

Sitting No. 175 – 14 July Statement by the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, on his visit to China and on the Memorandum of Understanding on medium-term cooperation concluded between the Maltese and Chinese Governments

Sitting No. 184 – 25 July Statement by the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, on reports in the media about a Maltese citizen abducted in Libya

Sitting No. 195 – Statement by the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, on the 4 November European Council held on 23 and 24 October 2014 and on the visit to Singapore between 29 and 31 October 2014

1.5 Petitions

Two petitions were presented to Parliament during the year under review.

Sitting No. 114 – Petition presented by Hon. , Leader of the Opposition, on 29 January behalf of a number of Maltese citizens residing in the states of Victoria and New South Wales in Australia, requesting the Maltese Government to review the Maltese Citizenship by Investment Programme

Sitting No. 157 – Petition presented by Hon. Michael Falzon, Parliamentary Secretary for 3 June Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes, signed by 104,293 Maltese citizens asking the Maltese Parliament to amend the Referenda Act by adding a proviso so that no law (as defined in Article 13(3) of the Referenda Act) affecting interests or rights or privileges of a minority within Maltese society can be repealed by a referendum under the Referenda Act.

1.6 Motions

The Office of the Clerk received 113 motions during the year under review, 58 of which were for first readings of bills. Out of the total number of motions presented, 15 motions were private Members’ motions of which four motions were private Members’ bills.

The 15 private Members’ motions received were the following:

Motion No. 93 Motion for the repeal of Legal Notice 450 of 2013 on the Individual Investor Programme presented by Hon.

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Motion No. 108 Motion to amend the English version of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives relating to the Standing Committee on Health presented by Hon. Claudio Grech

Motion No. 115 Motion for the repeal of Legal Notice 47 of 2014 on the Individual Investor Programme presented by Hon. Jason Azzopardi

Motion No. 122 Motion for the repeal of Legal Notice 76 of 2014 on data concerning persons in educational institutions presented by Hon. Joseph Cassar, Hon. Paula Mifsud Bonnici and Hon. Claudette Buttigieg

Motion No. 124 Motion to protect Ta' Ħaġrat temples presented by Hon. Ryan Callus

Motion No. 125 Constitution (Amendment) Bill presented by Hon. Stephen Spiteri and Hon.

Motion No. 134 Constitution (Amendment) Bill presented by Hon. Kristy Debono, Hon. Claudette Buttigieg and Hon. Mario de Marco

Motion No. 136 Motion for patients to be treated according to the regulations on cross- border healthcare by local private providers presented by Hon. Mario de Marco and Hon. Claudio Grech

Motion No. 149 Healthy Lifestyle Bill presented by Hon. Robert Cutajar and Hon. Mario de Marco

Motion No. 153 Motion on the investigation by the of complaints raised by officers presented by Hon. Mario de Marco and Hon. Jason Azzopardi

Motion No. 160 Motion to discuss the present diplomatic relations in the current political situation between Malta and Libya presented by Hon. and Hon. David Agius

Motion No. 164 Motion to discuss the latest developments on the promise of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to build a power station by March 2015 presented by Hon. Mario de Marco and Hon.

Motion No. 174 Motion calling for the publication of two police inquiries reports presented by Hon. Mario de Marco and Hon. Jason Azzopardi

Motion No. 191 Motion of no confidence in the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security presented by Hon. Mario de Marco and Hon. Jason Azzopardi

Motion No. 193 Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) (Amendment) Bill presented by Hon. Stephen Spiteri and Hon. David Agius.

A number of other important motions were presented to the House during the year under review including:

 a number of motions for the approval of the financial estimates of government entities and corporations for the year 2014;  a number of motions concerning the parliamentary approval of the financial estimates for 2015;

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 a motion to amend the Standing Orders of the House to enable the setting up of a Standing Committee on Health;  a motion of appreciation towards Dr George Abela at the end of his term of office as President of the Republic and a motion on the appointment of Mrs Marie Louise Coleiro Preca as the next President of the Republic; and  a motion recommending that the second Sunday in October be recognised on a national level as ‘Grandparents’ Day’.

1.7 Papers Laid on the Table of the House

In 2014, a total of 2,187 documents were laid on the Table of the House. The majority of the documents were replies given to parliamentary questions submitted by Members of Parliament to the various Ministers, legal notices and annual reports and financial statements of government entities and corporations.

A number of documents were tabled by the Speaker. These documents included reports received from the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Audit Office, reports prepared by Members of Parliament following their participation in meetings abroad, the Annual Report for 2013 of the House of Representatives, a report by the Speaker on the administrative autonomy of the and replies to parliamentary questions submitted to the Speaker.

1.8 Rulings

In 2014, 24 rulings by the Chair on issues raised during debates in plenary as well as during committee meetings were given as follows:

Sitting No. 111 – 22 Ruling delivered by the Deputy Speaker on a point of order January raised by Hon. Joe Mizzi, regarding remarks made by Hon. George Pullicino

Sitting No. 113 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker regarding motion calling for 28 January the removal of a judge

Sitting No. 115 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on witnesses before the 3 February Public Accounts Committee

Sitting No. 116 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the convening of 4 February committee meetings

Sitting No. 125 – Ruling delivered by the Deputy Speaker on a point of order 26 February raised by Hon. against the Minister for Energy and Health Hon. Konrad Mizzi, in respect of Standing Order 60 - Attributing of bad motives

Sitting No. 128 – 11 March Ruling delivered by the Speaker on evidence given by the Attorney General before parliamentary committees

Sitting No. 130 – 17 March Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the agenda of the Environment and Development Planning Committee

Sitting No. 144 – 5 May Ruling delivered by the Speaker on a point raised by Hon. Mario de Marco relating to remarks made by the Minister for

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Gozo Hon. Anton Refalo

Sitting No. 150 – 19 May Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the right of committees to request the production of documents

Sitting No. 166 – 23 June Ruling delivered by the Speaker following the request by the Leader of the Opposition for the adjournment of the House in terms of Standing Order 13 concerning legal proceedings in connection with complaints submitted to the Ombudsman by members of the Armed Forces

Sitting No. 178 – 16 July Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the request by Hon. George Pullicino for documents (Enemalta agreements) to be laid on the Table of the House

Sitting No. 178 – 16 July Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the request by Hon. David Agius on the application of Standing Order 8(2) – Days of meeting

Sitting No. 179 – 17 July Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the request by Hon. David Agius on the application of Standing Order 8(2) – Days of Meeting

Sitting No. 188 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on the interpretation of 20 October Standing Order 173 in view of the request by the Opposition for the filming and transmission of the Sitting of 20 October 2014 (Motion on the proposed power station)

Sitting No. 188 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on a request by Hon. David 20 October Agius for the tabling of documents during debate

Sitting No. 189 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker concerning allegations by 21 October Hon. Konrad Mizzi, Minister for Energy and Health, in respect of Hon. George Pullicino

Sitting No. 190 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker concerning the enforcement 22 October or otherwise of ruling given in Sitting 189 of 21 October 2014 with regard to the complaint raised by Hon. George Pullicino against Hon. Konrad Mizzi, Minister for Energy and Health

Sitting No. 191 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker concerning a complaint 27 October raised by Hon. George Pullicino against a One News journalist for reasons of alleged harassment as Hon. Pullicino was leaving the Palace

Sitting No. 191 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker concerning a complaint 27 October raised by Hon. Marthese Portelli in respect of the reply received to PQ 11113 by Hon. Konrad Mizzi, Minister for Energy and Health

Sitting No. 191 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker concerning a complaint 27 October raised by Hon. in respect of articles appearing in the newspaper MaltaToday and on the website www.maltarightnow.com

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Sitting No. 192 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on a breach of privilege 28 October raised by Hon. Jason Azzopardi concerning replies to parliamentary questions submitted to Hon. Emanuel Mallia, Minister for Home Affairs and National Security

Sitting No. 194 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on a complaint raised by 3 November Hon. Ċensu Galea in respect of an article appearing in the newspaper l-orizzont

Sitting No. 196 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on whether the Government 5 November spokesperson can pose supplementary questions to Ministers

Sitting No. 206 – Ruling delivered by the Speaker on reports in the media and 26 November on photos taken from the Strangers’ Gallery.

1.9 Parliamentary Whips

Parliamentary Whips are Members of Parliament appointed by each political party represented in the House of Representatives to facilitate the contribution of the parliamentary political group to parliamentary business, so that it can proceed smoothly. By virtue of the nature of this role, both Whips are members of the House Business Committee.

Another responsibility of the Parliamentary Whips is to ensure the regular presence in Parliament of Members in their respective parliamentary group, especially when votes are taken and when divisions are called.

Whips are also responsible for keeping Members in their respective parliamentary group informed about the business of the House, propose members to serve on standing and select committees and also nominate Members on delegations participating at meetings abroad.

At the end of 2014, Hon. Carmelo Abela served as Government Whip whilst Hon. David Agius as Opposition Whip.

1.10 Leader of the House

The Leader of the House is defined in the Standing Orders as being the Minister responsible for Parliamentary Affairs. By virtue of this role, the Leader of the House is primarily responsible for the arrangement of Government business in the House, and for setting the parliamentary schedule of the House together with the Government and the Opposition Whips during the meetings of the House Business Committee, presided by the Speaker of the House.

Throughout 2014, the role of the Leader of the House was occupied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs and the Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, Hon. .

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2. STANDING COMMITTEES

The standing committees of the House, established with the cooperation and approval of both sides of the House in 1995, are of particular relevance in the workings of the House of Representatives. The standing committees, which are an extension of the House itself, have provided that professional slant to various issues discussed.

The standing committees have furthermore introduced an element of consultation with civil society. Technical experts and representatives from various organisations are invited to discuss and contribute through their expertise on particular subjects. More than that, meetings of the standing committees are open to the public and the media and are audio and video streamed, the latter as from 2012, on the parliamentary website, thus facilitating an even closer relationship between the people and their elected representatives in Parliament.

Committees may submit recommendations to the House for its consideration.

In 2014, the Standing Orders of the House provided for the setting up of nine standing committees, namely:

 Standing Committee on House Business;  Standing Committee on Privileges;  Standing Committee on Public Accounts;  Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs;  Standing Committee on Social Affairs;  Standing Committee for the Consideration of Bills;  Standing Committee on Family Affairs;  Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs;  Standing Committee on Health.

The most recently set up committee, the Standing Committee on Health, was set up following a private members’ motion calling for the setting up of a standing committee on health presented by Hon. Claudio Grech on 18 November 2013. This motion was discussed on 5 February, seconded by the Minister for Health, Hon. , amended and consequently agreed to unanimously. The Standing Committee on Health was subsequently set up following Motion No. 106 presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, Hon. Louis Grech, and approved in Sitting 117 on 12 March.

The Environment and Development Planning Act, Cap. 504, and the Auditor General and National Audit Office Act, Cap. 396, provide for the setting up of two further standing committees as follows:

 Standing Committee on Environment and Development Planning; and  National Audit Office Accounts Committee.

2.1 Standing Committee on House Business

The Standing Committee on House Business was set up by way of Motion No. 18 presented on 18 April 2013 and its composition amended by way of Motion No. 40 presented on 28 May 2013, and is composed as follows:

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Chairperson Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives

Members Hon. Carmelo Abela Hon. David Agius Hon. Mario de Marco Hon. Louis Grech Hon. Deborah Schembri

‘120C. (1) Unless otherwise determined by the House, the Standing Committee on House Business, shall have power to:

(a) distribute Bills and other business among the Standing Committees appointed in accordance with the provisions of Standing Orders 96, 120A and 120B;

(b) (i) determine the number of sittings to be allotted for the consideration of a bill by a Standing Committee; (ii) allocate business to each sitting of a Standing Committee; and (iii) determine the time when any business, if not previously concluded, shall be concluded by a Standing Committee; and

(c) consider all matters of procedure and business of the House, and report its opinion thereon to the House from time to time.

(2) A report of all resolutions carried by the Standing Committee on House Business shall be made to the House at the next sitting after a resolution is carried, immediately after Question Time, and shall be recorded in the Minutes of the proceedings of the House.

(3) (a) The Standing Committee on House Business shall be constituted of the Leader of the House, two members nominated by the Prime Minister and two members nominated by the Leader of the Opposition;

(b) three members in attendance shall constitute a quorum.

(4) Alternate members shall also be appointed for each member of the Standing Committee on House Business and the provisions of paragraph (4) of standing order 120B shall also apply.

(5) The Standing Committee on House Business shall be chaired by the Speaker who shall not vote unless on any question the votes are equally divided, in which case he shall have and exercise a casting vote.

The principal task of this Committee is to organise the business of the House by distributing bills and other work to the other standing committees and the House, establishing and scheduling the number of sittings to be allocated to parliamentary debates and to consider other procedural issues. Correspondence received by the Speaker is also brought to the attention of the Committee.

The House Business Committee is also responsible to discuss the plan of the Office of the Ombudsman for the following year, the ombudsplan, at which sitting the Ombudsman explains the plan.

The Standing Committee on House Business was convened 12 times in 2014.

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Besides procedural House business, the Committee also discussed the following:

 matters connected with the migration to the new Parliament building;  the permanent exhibition on the Maltese parliamentary and constitutional history which will be set up by the Parliament of Malta Foundation and Bank of Valletta plc;  contacts with local TV service providers to launch a parliamentary TV channel and relevant changes required to the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives and video streaming guidelines;  the Ombudsplan 2015;  the setting up of an informal group of Members of Parliament discussing issues related to the problem of diabetes;  the motion for the removal of Judge Carm Lino Farrugia Sacco;  a request by Hon. Jason Azzopardi to refer a number of reports by the Complaints Board of the Armed Forces of Malta to the Ombudsman;  the launching of an online mechanism for the submission of petitions to Parliament; and  the report drawn up by an internal commission on the administrative autonomy of the Parliament of Malta.

2.2 Standing Committee on Privileges

The Standing Committee on Privileges was set up by way of Motion No. 19 presented on 18 April 2013, and is composed as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives

Members Hon. Simon Busuttil Hon. Carmelo Abela Hon. David Agius Hon. Louis Grech Hon. Deborah Schembri

‘120D. (1) The Standing Committee on Privileges shall have power to consider cases referred to it by the Speaker or by the House and to take such decisions and to make such recommendations as provided in the Standing Orders and in the House of Representatives (Privileges and Powers) Ordinance or in any law from time to time substituting the said Ordinance.

(2) The Standing Committee shall be constituted of the Leader of the House, two Members nominated by the Prime Minister and two members nominated by the Leader of the Opposition.

(3) The provisions of paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) of standing order 120C shall mutatis mutandis apply to the Standing Committee on Privileges.

(4) The Standing Committee on Privileges shall, without prejudice to the provision of the Standing Order 164, have power and authority to summon witnesses and order the production of documents before it. The Standing Committee on Privileges may request the attendance of the Attorney General or of his representative, who may also be authorized to participate in the proceedings, but he shall in no case have a vote thereat.’

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2.2.1 Breach of privilege complaint raised by the Prime Minister against the Leader of the Opposition

The Standing Committee on Privileges met six times in 2014 to discuss the breach of privilege raised by the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, against the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Simon Busuttil, during Sitting No. 55 of 30 September 2013. On 1 October 2013 the Speaker had ruled that there was a prima facie breach of privilege and that the case should be considered by the Standing Committee on Privileges.

The Committee first established the procedure it would follow in the consideration of the case referred to it. The Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, who raised the allegation of a breach of privilege by the Leader of the Opposition, gave his statement to the Committee. Once the Government side did not have any more witnesses to put forward, the Opposition presented the list of witnesses it wished to call before the Committee. Until the end of the year former Police Commissioner John Rizzo, former Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar and former Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cachia appeared before the Committee to answer questions put to them.

The case will continue to be considered in 2015.

2.2.2 Breach of privilege complaint raised by Hon. George Pullicino against the Minister for Energy and Health

On 22 October the Speaker ruled that Hon. Konrad Mizzi, Minister for Energy and Health, was prima facie guilty of a breach of privilege against Hon. George Pullicino, who raised the complaint during the sitting of 20 October. The case was referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges for its consideration.

By the end of the year the Committee had not yet started considering this case.

2.3 Standing Committee on Public Accounts

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts was set up by Motion No. 17 presented on 18 April 2013 and amended by way of Motion 129 presented on 7 May 2014, and in December 2014 was composed as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Tonio Fenech

Members Hon. Chris Agius Hon.

Hon. Joe Farrugia Hon. Mario de Marco Hon. Claudio Grech Hon. Charles Mangion

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts is chaired by a member nominated by the Opposition, following the UK House of Commons model.

Standing Order 120E outlines the powers and the composition of the Public Accounts Committee as follows:

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‘120E. (1) The Standing Committee on Public Accounts shall have the power to:

(a) inquire into matters relating to public accounts referred to it by the House, a Minister or the Director of Audit; (b) inquire into expenditure as is referred to in articles 103(3) and 104 of the Constitution; (c) examine the accounts of statutory authorities, including parastatal organisations, whose accounts are presented to Parliament; (d) request the Auditor General to submit memoranda on any matter where a request for such submission is made by at least three members of the Standing Committee; (e) consider memoranda submitted by the Auditor General, made upon a request made to him in virtue of paragraph (d) hereof, or on his own initiative; (f) examine reports, and related documents, made by the Auditor General; (g) report to the House on any accounts, reports or documents referred in the previous paragraphs hereof; and (h) report to the House on any change that it considers desirable in the form of the accounts, on the manner in which they are kept, on revenue or expenditure or the control of money.

(2) The Standing Committee on Public Accounts shall consist of not more than seven members of whom four shall constitute a quorum. The members shall be chosen so as fairly to represent the House in general and the proportion of Government and Opposition members in particular.

(3) The provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of standing order 120B shall apply to the Public Accounts Committee.

(4) One of the members nominated by the Leader of the Opposition and so designated by him after consultation with the Leader of the House, shall be appointed Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. The Chairman shall have an original vote but shall not have a casting vote.’

Back in August 2013, the Committee Chairman Hon. Tonio Fenech and Members Hon. Claudio Grech and Hon. Konrad Mizzi had been indicated as possible witnesses to appear before the Committee when discussing the report of the Auditor General entitled An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement; as a result, the composition and the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee when discussing this issue was changed as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Jason Azzopardi

Members Hon. Chris Agius Hon. Owen Bonnici Hon. Luciano Busuttil

Hon. Justyne Caruana Hon. Kristy Debono Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami

In 2014, the Committee met 13 times in this formation to discuss this report hearing a total of seven witnesses. Another four witnesses were summoned but have filed a case before the Constitutional Court claiming that they have a right to remain silent and could not give evidence before the Committee. A decision by the Constitutional Court was still pending at the end of the year.

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In 2014, the Public Accounts Committee, in either formation, met a total of 24 times and discussed the subjects shown herunder:

13 January Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

15 January Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

27 January Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta on 22 August 1979

5 February Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

12 February Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

19 February Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

24 February Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

10 March Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

12 March Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

14 May Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

28 May Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

17 June Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

1 July Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of

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Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

7 July Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

14 July Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

15 July Examination of the contract signed between the Commissioner of Lands and Malta Shipbuilding dated 20 August 1979 and the examination of the contract signed between the Malta Shipbuilding and the Malta Labour Party on 22 August 1979 (Continuation)

25 July Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

5 November Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

10 November Report by the Auditor General: Public Accounts 2012 – Malta Tourism Authority Operative and Marketing Expenditure

19 November Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

26 November Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

2 December Report by the National Audit Office – An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Enemalta Corporation’s Fuel Procurement (Continuation)

9 December Report by the Auditor General – Public Accounts 2012 – Social Security Department: Overpayment of Social Security Benefits

15 December Joint meeting with the Foreign and European Affairs Committee and the Economic and Financial Affairs Committee on the Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors on the Budget for the Financial Year 2013 and on the work of the Maltese Member of this Court.

2.4 Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs

The Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs was set up by Motion No. 20 presented on 18 April 2013 and its composition amended by way of Motion No. 41 presented on 28 May 2013 and Motion 126 presented on 7 May 2014, is as follows:

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Chairperson Hon. Luciano Busuttil

Members Hon. Frederick Azzopardi Hon. Toni Bezzina Hon. Hon. Tonio Fenech Hon. Franco Mercieca Hon. Joseph M. Sammut Hon. , Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon.

‘120F. (1) The Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs shall consist of not more than nine members of whom five shall constitute a quorum. The members shall be chosen so as fairly to represent the House in general and the proportion of Government and Opposition members in particular:

Provided that the Government members appointed on the Standing Committee shall include the Minister for Foreign Affairs who shall have the right to participate and to vote:

Provided further that members of the European Parliament elected from Malta shall have the right to participate in the work of the Standing Committee but shall not have the right to vote or to move motions and amendments.

(2) The Chairperson of the Committee shall be nominated by the Leader of the House from amongst the members representing the Government side, provided that any member of the Committee may, at any time, be appointed by the Leader of the House to act as Chairperson in case of the unavoidable absence of the Chairperson.

(3) The Standing Committee shall have the power to appoint select sub-committees and to delegate any of its functions to such sub-committees:

Provided that the composition of any sub-committee appointed by the Standing Committee shall be determined by the Standing Committee so as fairly to represent the House in general and the proportion of Government and Opposition members in particular.

(4) Subject to what is stated in this Standing Order, the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of standing order 120B shall mutatis mutandis apply to the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs.

(5) The Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs shall have the following functions:

(a) to deal with matters relating to foreign and European Union affairs which may be referred to it by the House or by the Standing Committee on House Business;

(b) in the context of European Union issues and measures to be taken by the Council of Ministers of the European Union, to scrutinise on its own initiative:

(i) any proposals under the Community treaties for legislation by the Council or the Council acting jointly with the European Parliament; (ii) any document which is published for submission to the European Council, the Council or the ;

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(iii) any proposal for a common strategy, a joint action or a common position under Title V of the Treaty on European Union which is prepared for submission to the Council or to the European Council; (iv) any proposal for a common position, framework, decision or a convention under Title VI of the Treaty on European Union which is prepared for submission to the Council; (v) any document (not falling within (ii), (iii) or (iv) above) which is published by one Union institution and which does not relate exclusively to the consideration of any proposal for legislation; and (vi) any other document relating to European Union matters placed on the Table of the House by any Minister; and

(c) to represent the House of Representatives of Malta at the Conference of European Affairs Committees (COSAC).’

Throughout 2014, the Foreign and European Affairs Committee met 10 times in plenary. Details of the meetings held in 2014 are as follows:

14 January Discussion in terms of Article 4 (2) of the European Union Act on government’s proposal to ratify an interim agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Central Africa Party, of the other part (Republic of Cameroon);

Presentation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. George Vella on:

(i) the ASEM (EU-Asia) Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs held in Delhi in November 2013; (ii) the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Colombo in November 2013; (iii) the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE held in Ukraine in November 2013; (iv) the EU Summit held in Vilnius in November 2013; (v) the European Council held in Brussels in December 2013; (vi) the agenda of the January 2014 European Council; (vii) the EU Enlargement Policy.

30 January Meeting with Mr Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President of the European Commission

25 February Discussion in terms of Article 4 (2) of the European Union Act on the Government’s proposal to ratify the:

(i) Arms Trade Treaty; (ii) 11th EDF (European Development Fund) Internal Agreement 2014 - 2020; and (iii) Trade Agreement between the European Union and Colombia and Peru.

Presentation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. George Vella, on the European Council held in Brussels on 10 February 2014

18 March Presentation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. George Vella, on the current situation in Ukraine

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Discussion in terms of Article 4 (2) of the European Union Act on the Government’s proposal to ratify the Co-operation Agreement on Satellite Navigation between the European Union and its Member States and the Kingdom of Norway

21 May Discussion in terms of Article 4 (2) of the European Union Act on the Agreement on Trade, Development and Cooperation between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of South Africa, of the other

Discussion on the report for the period March-December 2013 of the Council for Maltese Living Abroad in terms of sub-article (2) of article 7 of the Council for Maltese Living Abroad Act

18 June Discussion in terms of Article 4 (2) of the European Union Act on the Joint Procurement Agreement to procure medical countermeasures pursuant to Decision 1082/2013/EU

Consideration of correspondence dated:

(i) 29 April 2014 from the House of Commons regarding Article 5 of Protocol 2 of the Lisbon Treaty requiring the Commission to provide a detailed statement in the draft legislative act itself justifying compliance with the subsidiarity principle (ii) 2 June 2014 from the Dutch Parliament on the role of National regarding free trade agreements between the EU and third countries (iii) 3 June 2014 from the Dutch Parliament on the ‘yellow card’ procedure in operation regarding breaches of the subsidiarity principle with particular reference to the proposal for the setting up of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office

9 July Presentation by HE Giovanni Umberto de Vito, Ambassador of Italy for Malta, on the Italian priorities for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

21 July Discussion in terms of Article 4 (2) of the European Union Act on government’s proposal to ratify the following agreements:

(i) Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Government of the State of Israel, of the other part (ii) association agreements between the European Union and Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine signed on 27 June 2014

10 October Meeting with Mr Miroslav Lajčák, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia

15 December Joint meeting with the Public Accounts Committee and the Economic and Financial Affairs Committee on the Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors on the Budget for the Financial Year 2013 and on the work of the Maltese Member of this Court.

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2.4.1 Subsidiarity and political dialogue with the European Commission

During 2014, the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs also considered 64 EU legislative proposals in the context of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality as laid down in Protocol No. 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. All documents were deemed to comply with the principles of subidiarity and proportionality and no reasoned opinions were adopted by Parliament in 2014.

The Foreign and European Affairs Committee also decided to send its comments to the Commission in the context of the political dialogue framework with regard to the following two legislative proposals:

(i) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Union legal framework for customs infringements and sanctions (COM (2013) 884); and (ii) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 2008/98/EC on waste, 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles, 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators, and 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment (COM (2014) 397).

2.4.2 Informal Meetings

In 2014, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs also had the following meetings:

15 January Meeting with HE Leonidas Markides, High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus

21 October Meeting with HE Oren David, Ambassador of Israel

20 November Meeting with HE Josep Maria Pons Irazazabal, Ambassador of Spain.

2.4.3 Sub-Committees

In accordance with paragraph 3 of Standing Order 120F, the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs set up three working groups to assist it in its work. The composition and competencies are as follows:

Working Group 1

Chairperson Hon. Luciano Busuttil

Members Hon. Deo Debattista Hon. Marlene Farrugia Hon. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech

The objective of this Working Group is to analyse legislative proposals with regard to the principle of subsidiarity and also the EU pipeline acquis in preliminary scrutiny, that is, to identify those documents of political or legal importance and to reach a decision on whether a particular document should be cleared without reserve or referred for further debate either in the plenary of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee, or in one of the following working groups, or to other standing committees:

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(i) Working Group 2 with regard to areas concerning home affairs, justice, education, youth, culture and sport, presided by Hon. Marlene Farrugia with the other members appointed according to the matter to be discussed; (ii) Working Group 3 with regard to areas concerning competitiveness (i.e. single market, industry, research and space), transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, fisheries and environment, presided by Hon. Luciano Busuttil with the other members appointed according to the matter to be discussed; (iii) The Standing Committee on Social Affairs with regard to areas concerning employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs; and (iv) The Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs with regard to areas concerning economic and financial affairs.

2.4.4 Meetings of the Working Groups

During 2014, Working Group 1 met six times and besides considering legislative proposals for subsidiarity purposes, it also considered 455 legislative and non-legislative proposals, including reports, staff working documents and Green and White Papers.

2.5 Standing Committee on Social Affairs

The Standing Committee on Social Affairs, set up by Motion No. 21 approved on 22 April 2013 and its composition amended by way of Motion No. 43 approved on 3 June 2013 and Motion No. 128 approved on 7 May 2014, is as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Deborah Schembri

Members Hon. Anthony Agius Decelis Hon. Claudette Buttigieg Hon. Robert Cutajar Hon. Godfrey Farrugia Hon. Silvio Parnis Hon. Marthese Portelli

Standing Order 120G states that:

‘120G. (1) The Committee for Social Affairs shall deal with all matters relating to social policy, including social assistance and family matters, which may be referred to it by the House or by the Standing Committee on House Business.

(2) The provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) of standing order 120E shall mutatis mutandis apply to the Social Affairs Committee.’

The Social Affairs Committee held 18 meetings throughout 2014, during which various subjects of a social nature were discussed.

In addition to the formal Social Affairs Committee appointed in terms of Motion No. 21, the House Business Committee, in its meeting of 17 October, agreed on the terms of reference and the composition of the Social Affairs Committee when it meets to discuss the subject of illegal immigration. In such instances, it is composed as follows:

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Chairperson Hon. Deborah Schembri

Members Hon. Jason Azzopardi Hon. Claudette Buttigieg Hon. Michael Falzon Hon. Marlene Farrugia Hon. Hon. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici

In terms of the agreement reached in the House Business Committee, the Social Affairs Committee (Illegal Immigration) is to discuss:

 the problem of illegal immigration in Malta in the context of national security including how these immigrants reach Malta, the responsibilities of the Maltese authorities on their responsibilities in the Maltese search and rescue area and the network of organised crime which leads these immigrants to Malta;  the detention policy in Malta including the conditions in the detention centres and in the open centres, and how these can be improved in order to offer the immigrants better treatment;  guarantees that ensure that the protection is given as soon as possible to those who have the right to it;  the repatriation of persons not entitled to protection and who have entered Malta illegally; and  measures that ensure greater solidarity by the Member States of the European Union both in terms of financial assistance and relocation of migrants.

During 2014, the Committee was convened 15 times in its principal formation. The subjects that were dealt with by the committee are the following:

28 January Domestic violence – Discussion with Police Commissioner Mr Peter Paul Zammit

5 February Approval of the members of the Guardianship Board

12 February Discussion on the Green Paper Against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2014-2024

18 February Discussion on the Green Paper Against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2014-2024 (Continuation)

12 March Domestic violence – Discussion with Dr Anthony Livori, Principal General Practitioner, Primary Health Care

17 March Drug abuse in Malta – Discussion with Dr Mario Mifsud

9 April Domestic violence – Discussion with Dr Malcolm Mifsud, Legal Aid Office

16 April Discussion on the Commission on Domestic Violence Annual Report (March 2013 – February 2014) (Continuation) 25 June Discussion on the report being prepared by the Social Affairs Committee on domestic violence

16 July Discussion on sports and obesity

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Discussion on organ donation

22 July Approval of the members of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector

12 November Joint meeting with the Health Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation

Discussion with Ophtalmologist Hon. Franco Mercieca and with Transplant Support Group Malta

19 November Joint meeting with the Health Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation (Continuation)

26 November Joint meeting with the Health Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation (Continuation)

17 December Joint meeting with the Health Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation (Continuation).

In the formation dealing with illegal immigration issues, the Committee met three times as follows:

25 March Discussion on the situation in detention and open centres in Malta

14 April Detention Policy in Malta – Discussion with Mr Joseph St John from the Ministry for Home Affairs

Discussion with Mr Mario Friggieri, Commissioner for Refugees

4 November Child Protection Act (Out of Home Care) 2014 – Presentation by Mr Alexander Tortell, Director of the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS)

Briefing by the Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee on the meeting that she, together with the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and the Chairman of the Consideration of Bills Committee, had with the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture which took place on 9 October

Briefing by the Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee on her participation in the Meeting of Chairpersons of the Committees on Fundamental Rights organised by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union which took place in Rome on 13 and 14 October.

The Committee also held three informal meetings as follows:

12 February Show-round of the living quarters of the immigrants’ residence at the Lyster Barracks by Mr Mario Schembri, Head, Operations, and by staff of the Detention Services

Show-round of the Ħal Far Tent Village Open Centre by Mr Alex Tortell, Director, AWAS

5 May Presentation by Mount Carmel Hospital CEO Mr Clifton Grima on the detention and treatment at Mount Carmel Hospital of illegal immigrants

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suffering from mental health problems.

2.6 Standing Committee on Family Affairs

The Standing Committee on Family Affairs was set up by Motion No. 23 presented on 18 April 2013 and is composed as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Anthony Agius Decelis

Members Hon. Hon. Etienne Grech Hon. Paula Mifsud Bonnici Hon. Deborah Schembri

The principal task of the Committee on Family Affairs is to discuss matters and legislation related to family affairs. The work of the Committee is regulated by Standing Order 120H:

‘120H. (1) The Standing Committee on Family Affairs shall deal with all matters relating to the family, including the appraisal, analysis and monitoring of current and future family legislation and policies, and such other matters relating to the family as may be referred to it by the House or by the Standing Committee on House Business.

(2) The Standing Committee on Family Affairs shall consist of five members, three of whom shall be appointed from the Government side, one of whom shall be nominated as Chairman and two from the Opposition side; a majority of all the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

(3) The provisions of paragraph (3) of standing order 120E shall mutatis mutandis apply to the Standing Committee on Family Affairs.’

The Standing Committee on Family Affairs met three times in 2014 as follows:

24 March Discussion with Dr Manwel Schembri on marriage in the Canon Law and in the Civil Law

3 June Presentation by Dr Ruth Farrugia, Chairperson, National Commission for Child Policy and Strategy, on the draft Child Protection Act

9 December Discussion with Fr Charles Tabone on the role of the family in the Maltese society today.

2.7 Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs

The Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs, appointed by Motion No. 25 presented on 23 April 2013 and its composition amended by way of Motion No. 47 presented on 11 June 2013, is composed as follows:

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Chairperson Hon. Silvio Schembri

Members Hon. Charles Buhagiar Hon. Mario de Marco Hon. Kristy Debono Hon. Michael Falzon

Hon. Tonio Fenech

Hon.

The work of the Committee is regulated by Standing Order 120I:

‘120I. (1) The Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs shall:

(a) on its own initiative, consider from an economic and financial perspective, any decision, recommendation or report published locally, by the European Institutions or by international organisations, that could have an impact on the Maltese economy; (b) request persons appointed by the to represent it on the governing and administrative organs of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), as provided for in article 7 of the Participation and Granting of Financial Stability Support under the European Stability Mechanism Act, to appear before the Committee for the purpose of rendering account of the workings of the ESM and of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF); (c) request the Governor of the to appear before the Committee as provided for in article 8(6) of the Central Bank of Malta Act; (d) consider every matter or report that may be referred to it by the House or the Standing Committee on House Business; and (e) consider every matter or report that may be referred to it by a committee of the House.

(2) The Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs shall be constituted of not more than seven members, where four members shall constitute a quorum. The members should be chosen in such manner as appears practicable to the House as fairly to represent the House in general and the proportion of Government and Opposition members in the House in particular.

(3) One of the members nominated by the Government shall be appointed as Chairman of the Committee.

(4) The provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of standing order 120B shall mutatis mutandis apply to the Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs.’

The Standing Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs met five times in 2014 as follows:

15 January Conclusions by the Central Bank of Malta on lending rates by banks in Malta

5 May Abuse in free movement of goods

12 May Presentation by Prof. Josef Bonnici, Central Bank of Malta Governor, on the Central Bank of Malta Annual Report 2013: Recent Economic Developments and Structural Considerations

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2 June Presentation by Mr Alfred Camilleri, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Finance, on the Mechanism of the European Financial Stability Facility in terms of Cap. 523 of the Laws of Malta, on Participation and Granting of Financial Stability Support under the European Stability Mechanism Act

15 December Joint meeting with the Foreign and European Affairs Committee and the Public Accounts Committee on the Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors on the Budget for the Financial Year 2013 and the work of the Maltese Member of this Court.

2.8 Health Committee

This Committee was set up following the unanimous approval in the House of a private member’s motion presented by Opposition member Hon. Claudio Grech on 18 November 2013. The Standing Committee on Health, appointed by Motion No. 106 presented on 10 March 2014 and its composition as amended by way of Motion No. 127 presented on 7 May 2014, is as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Etienne Grech

Members Hon. Chris Fearne Hon. Deo Debattista Hon. Claudio Grech

Hon. Michael Gonzi

The work of the Committee is regulated by Standing Order 120J:

‘120J. (1) The Standing Committee on Health shall have the power to:

(a) on its own initiative, discuss policies and matters in the health sector which have strategic importance and are of material interest to patients, and report thereon to the House; (b) evaluate all reports, strategic plans, task plans as well as all policies referred to it by the House, by the Minister or by any other Standing Committee; (c) evaluate matters and items relating to capital and recurrent expenditure of such departments, statutory authorities and public organizations which operate in the public health sector; (d) evaluate matters and issues relating to public health and the rights of the patient; (e) discuss and analyse the impact of government and European Union decisions in the health sector; (f) examine and report back to the House on reports and related documents, which are compiled by the Auditor General or by the Commissioner for Health; (g) request the Commissioner for Health to appear before the Committee on matters related to his work; and (h) request persons to appear before the same Committee in order to give a presentation or a statement regarding their tasks and responsibilities on matters which fall under this same Committee.

(2) The Standing Committee on Health shall be constituted of not more than five members, where three members shall constitute a quorum. The members shall be chosen in such manner as appears practicable to the House as fairly to represent the

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House in general and the proportion of Government and Opposition Members in the House in particular.

(3) One of the Members nominated by the Government shall be appointed Chairperson of the Committee.

(4) The provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of standing order 120B shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the Standing Committee on Health.’

The Standing Committee on Health met nine times in 2014 as follows:

26 March Address by Opposition Spokesman for Health, Hon. Claudio Grech

Address by Minister for Health, Hon. Godfrey Farrugia

Work Programme of the Standing Committee on Health

The sustainability of the health service

16 April Discussion with the major unions on the industrial relations situation in the health sector

4 June Presentation by Dr Christopher Barbara, Clinical Chairman of the Pathology Department, on policies to limit hospital acquired infections

8 July The situation of mental healthcare facilities for children

13 October Address by the European Commissioner for Health, Dr

12 November Joint meeting with the Social Affairs Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation

19 November Joint meeting with the Social Affairs Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation (Continuation)

26 November Joint meeting with the Social Affairs Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation (Continuation)

17 December Joint meeting with the Social Affairs Committee on organ and tissue transplant legislation (Continuation).

2.9 Standing Committee for the Consideration of Bills

The Standing Committee for the Consideration of Bills was set up by Motion No. 22 presented on 18 April 2013 and its composition, as amended by way of Motion No. 132 presented on 7 May 2014, is as follows:

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Chairperson Hon. Silvio Parnis

Members Seven Members: four Government Members including the Chairperson, and three Opposition Members appointed according to the Bill under discussion

The principal task of the Committee for the Consideration of Bills is to consider bills referred to it by the House after the conclusion of the debate in the second reading stage or by the House Business Committee. The work of the Committee is regulated by Standing Order 120B:

‘120B. (1) In addition to the standing committees listed in Standing Order 120A, the House may, on motion made after notice, appoint such Standing Committee as may be necessary for the consideration of Bills or other business committed or referred by the House to a standing committee.

(2) A motion as is referred to in paragraph (1) of this Standing Order shall:

(a) fix the number of members to serve on the Standing Committee which is to be so composed in such manner as appears practicable to the House as fairly to represent the House in general and the proportion of Government and Opposition members in the House in particular; and

(b) name the Chairman who shall preside the Standing Committee.

(3) Each side of the House shall nominate the members representing it on a Standing Committee, and shall also nominate alternate members for any members so appointed. The members and alternate members representing the Government side shall be nominated by the Leader of the House while the members and alternate members representing the Opposition side shall be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition. The name of members and alternate members so nominated and appointed by the House shall be recorded in the Minutes of the sitting.

(4) Each side of the House may substitute any member or alternate member nominated by it in accordance with paragraph (3) hereof to represent it on a Standing Committee. Such substitution shall only have effect after the Speaker is notified therewith. The Speaker shall, at the first available opportunity, notify the House, or, if the House is in recess, the Standing Committee on House Business.

(5) Government Bills referred to a Standing Committee shall have precedence over the other business of the Standing Committee and shall, unless otherwise ordered by the House, be considered in such order as the Standing Committee on House Business may determine.’

The Standing Committee for the Consideration of Bills met 22 times in 2014. 26 bills were discussed, approved and referred back to the House for third reading.

Details of the meetings held in 2014 are as follows:

21 January Bill 27 – Criminal Code (Amendment No. 6) Bill

Bill 25 – Criminal Code (Amendment No. 5) Bill

3 February Bill 22 – Criminal Code (Amendment No.3) Bill

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Bill 23 – Criminal Code (Amendment No.4) Bill

4 February Bill 20 – Civil Unions Bill

18 February Bill 20 – Civil Unions Bill (Continuation)

25 February Bill 20 – Civil Unions Bill (Continuation)

5 March Bill 25 – Criminal Code (Amendment No. 5) Bill (Continuation)

Bill 34 – Various Laws (Criminal Matters) (Amendment) Bill

12 March Bill 25 – Criminal Code (Amendment No. 5) Bill (Continuation)

Bill 31 – Consumer Affairs (Amendment) Bill

17 March Bill 18 – Constitution of Malta (Amendment) Bill

24 March Bill 33 – Communications Laws (Amendment) Bill

25 March Bill 42 – Constitution of Malta and Various Electoral Laws (Amendment) Bill

14 April Bill 32 – Trust and Trustees (Amendment) Bill

9 June Bill 30 – Youth Work Profession Bill

10 June Bill 39 – Marriage Act (Amendment) Bill

Bill 40 – Investment Services (Amendment) Bill

16 June Bill 46 – Commissioner for Revenue (Amendment) Bill

14 July Bill 52 – The Interpretation Act (Amendment) Bill

Bill 53 – Various Laws (Criminal Matters) (Amendment No. 2) Bill

15 July Bill 53 – Various Laws (Criminal Matters) (Amendment No. 2) Bill (Continuation)

16 July Bill 60 – Patents and Designs (Amendment) Bill

17 July Bill 53 – Various Laws (Criminal Matters) (Amendment No. 2) Bill (Continuation)

18 July Bill 49 – Fiscal Responsibility Bill

21 July Bill 61 – Enemalta (Transfer of Assets, Rights, Liabilities and Obligations) Bill

22 July Bill 57 – Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill

Bill 50 – Continental Shelf Bill

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Bill 51 – Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone (Amendment) Bill

Bill 47 – Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill

Bill 24 – Children and Young Persons (Care Orders) (Amendment) Bill

29 July Bill 54 – Animal Welfare (Amendment) Bill.

2.10 National Audit Office Accounts Committee

The National Audit Office Accounts Committee was set up by Motion No. 31 presented on 25 April 2013 in accordance with Part IV of the National Audit Office Act (Cap. 396). Its terms of reference are:

‘13.There shall be a Committee to be styled the National Audit Office Accounts Committee (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’) which shall be composed as follows:

(i) the member of the House of Representatives who is for the time being Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives or such other committee of the said House from time to time replacing such Committee;

(ii) the Minister responsible for parliamentary affairs (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Leader of the House of Representatives’);

(iii) three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the said House upon a motion by the Leader of the House of Representatives, as to two members from among members supporting the Government and as to the remaining member from among the members in Opposition.

14. The Committee shall from time to time but not less often than once a year present to the House of Representatives (through the Leader of the House of Representatives) a report of its activities and the report of its examination of any estimates prepared by the Auditor General.

15. The Committee shall elect a chairman from among its members, and may regulate its own proceedings.

16. Upon the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the Committee shall be deemed to be dissolved until it is next reconstituted after the House next meets. Where upon the dissolution of the House of Representatives the sum to be established for the purposes of paragraph 8 of Part III is not so established or the House has not after the end of a financial year established the said sum, the Auditor General shall be entitled to expend, each month, a sum equivalent to one twelfth of the sum or sums established for the previous financial year, until the said sum is so established.

17. The validity of any proceedings of the Committee shall not be affected by any vacancy among its members or by any defect in the appointment or nomination of any of its members.’

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The National Audit Office Accounts Committee is composed as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Louis Grech, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs and the Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto

Members Hon. Chris Agius Hon. Tonio Fenech Hon. Hon. Silvio Schembri

The National Audit Office Accounts Committee met twice in 2014 as follows:

28 October Resolutions on the transfer of:

 Property in St Lucy Street, Naxxar, to the Victoria Club  Property in Santa Liena Square, Birkirkara, to the Dun Filippu Borgia Society  Dar Osanna Pia in Triq Imrabat, St Julian’s, to the Salesian Society  Casa Flamini in Paola Square, Paola, to the Hibernians Football Club  Palazzo de La Salle in Republic Street, Valletta, to the Malta Society of Arts  Land in Pembroke to the Malta BMX Association  Land in Pembroke to the Embassy of China in Malta  Land in Marsa to the Augustinian Province in Malta

11 November Resolution on the transfer of:

 Land in Pembroke to the Embassy of China in Malta (Continuation)

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the National Audit Office for the Year ending 31 December 2013 and Financial Estimates of the National Audit Office for 2015.

2.11 Standing Committee on Environment and Development Planning

The Standing Committee on Environment and Development Planning was set up by Motion No. 30 presented on 25 April 2013 in accordance with Article 34 of the Environment and Development Planning Act (Cap. 504) which states that:

‘34. (1) There shall be a Standing Committee on Environment and Development Planning which shall consist of five members appointed by the House, of whom three shall be members supporting the Government, one of whom shall be appointed as Chairman, and the other two shall be members from the Opposition.

(2) The Standing Committee shall:

(a) review any plan referred to the House of Representatives in terms of this Act. The Standing Committee shall also recommend to the House whether the plan should be approved, with or without amendments, or rejected;

(b) discuss any report referred to it by the Minister relating to the structure plan or any review thereof;

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(c) discuss any other plan or policy referred to it by the Minister and report thereon to Parliament. Such a report may also include any dissenting opinion on the plan or policy. The Minister shall take cognisance of the said report and shall forward the report to the Authority for its consideration in the determination by the Authority of the plan or policy if the said plan or policy has not yet been approved by the Authority:

Provided that where the said Standing Committee fails to report to Parliament within the period by which it was requested to do so, the Minister may request the Authority to finalise the said plan or policy, and the Minister may also approve the said plan or policy as forwarded to him by the Authority.

(3) When notice of a motion, as is referred to in article 53(2), is given by the Minister, that motion shall be referred to the Standing Committee of the House, and the said Standing Committee shall discuss the said motion and report thereon to the House.

(4) Not later than one month after a notice as is referred to in sub-article (3) has been referred to the Standing Committee of the House, the said Standing Committee shall discuss the structure plan or any review thereof, and shall, not later than one month after the said plan or review thereof has been referred to it, report thereon to the House:

Provided that where the said Standing Committee fails to report to the House within the said period of one month, the House may pass on to discuss the motion.

(5) Where the report of the Standing Committee on a motion is unanimous, the House shall proceed to vote on such motion and on any amendments that are proposed in the said report without debate.’

Motion No. 30 provides for a committee comprising three members from the Government, one of whom will be the Chairman, and two members from the Opposition. The composition of the Committee was changed by way of Motion No. 105 approved by the House on 12 March 2014. The Committee is composed as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Marlene Farrugia

Members Hon. Toni Bezzina Hon. Charles Buhagiar Hon. Joseph M. Sammut Hon. George Pullicino

The Committee held seven meetings in 2014. Details of the meetings are as follows:

29 January Information on MEPA policies

26 February Information on MEPA policies (Continuation)

12 March Discussion on the Outside Development Zone (ODZ) Policy and Design Guidance issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority dated January 2014

2 April Discussion on the Outside Development Zone (ODZ) Policy and Design Guidance issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority dated January 2014 (Continuation)

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19 May Discussion regarding the document issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority dated December 2013 entitled Fireworks Factory Complexes Policy

27 October Discussion regarding the document issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority dated August 2014 entitled Petrol Stations Policy

Discussion regarding request received from NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar regarding the construction of a cement silo and report written by Dr Julian Mamo and Dr John Paul Cauchi entitled Report on a Cement Silo Development – A Public Health Perspective and report written by Dr Ramiro Cali-Corleo entitled Health Impact Review on the Proposed Cement Silo at the Kordin Terminal

26 November Discussion on the potential environmental health issues surrounding the development adjacent to the Kordin Grain Terminal (Continuation).

2.12 Parliamentary Group on the European Capital of Culture 2018

The composition of the Parliamentary Group on the European Capital of Culture was established in the meetings of the House Business Committee of 25 June and 8 July 2013 as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Deo Debattista

Members Hon. Luciano Busuttil Hon. Mario de Marco Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech

The Parliamentary Group on the European Capital of Culture met five times in 2014 to discuss matters in connection with Valletta 18: the European Capital of Culture 2018 as follows:

21 January Meeting with Hon. José Herrera, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture and Local Government, Mr Jason Micallef, Chairman Foundation Valletta 2018 and Dr Karsten Xuereb, project coordinator, on works and initiatives carried out in 2013 and those planned for 2014

18 February Meeting with Hon. José Herrera, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture and Local Government, Mr Jason Micallef, Chairman Foundation Valletta 2018 and Dr Karsten Xuereb, project coordinator, on the artistic director and assistant programme directors, and on capital projects, including the performing arts centre, and cultural mapping

26 May Meeting with Hon. Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Mr Jason Micallef, Chairman Foundation Valletta 2018 and Dr Karsten Xuereb, project coordinator, on the progress of the capital projects including the Suq l-Antik and Strait Street, accessibility and the artistic director

22 July Meeting with Hon. Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Hon. Michael Falzon, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes, Mr Jason Micallef, Chairman Foundation Valletta 2018 and Dr Karsten Xuereb, project

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coordinator, on the bye-laws, cleaning, restoration and maintenance of buildings, lighting systems and coordination of events

2 December Meeting with Hon. Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Mr Jason Micallef, Chairman Foundation Valletta 2018 and Dr Karsten Xuereb, project coordinator, on the restoration of buildings, comments made by the artistic director and update on the progress of the capital projects.

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3. SELECT COMMITTEES

Standing Order 121 states that:

‘The House may appoint a Select Committee of its Members for the purpose of investigating any subject. It shall be competent for the Speaker to be appointed a Member of any Select Committee of the House.’

3.1 Select Committee tasked with making recommendations to the House on the establishment of an Office of Commissioner and Standing Committee on Standards, Ethics and Proper Behaviour in Public Life

In Sitting 63 of 16 October, the House unanimously adopted a resolution (Motion No. 77) presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs and the Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, Hon. Louis Grech, setting up a Select Committee tasked with making recommendations to the House, by 15 December, on the establishment of an Office of Commissioner and Standing Committee on Standards, Ethics and Proper Behaviour in Public Life.

The resolution established the composition of the Select Committee as follows:

Chairperson Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives

Members Hon. Ryan Callus Hon. Justyne Caruana Hon. George Vella Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech

Motion No. 77 makes reference to another motion on the same subject, Motion No. 69 which was presented by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Simon Busuttil, on 30 September.

The Select Committee met three times in 2013, on 25 October, 5 November and 26 November and twice in 2014 on 4 and 17 February.

The office of the Attorney General prepared a draft bill based on the discussions within the Committee, which was circulated to the Members of the Select Committee on 11 December 2013. Speaker Anġlu Farrugia, as Chair of the Select Committee, made an interim report on the progress and tabled the draft bill in the House on 16 December 2013. In order for the Committee to have sufficient time to consider the draft bill prepared by the Office of the Attorney General, the House agreed that the Select Committee present the final bill for consideration by the House once Parliament reconvenes after the Christmas break.

The Speaker tabled the final report of the Select Committee, including a draft Bill, on 24 March.

The Select Committee concluded its work in 2014. The Standards in Public Life Bill, as drafted by the Select Committee, was presented by Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech, and its First Reading was seconded by Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech from the Opposition. The Bill was published on 15 July 2014.

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4. INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Throughout the year, the House of Representatives continued reaching out to inter-relate with other parliamentarians around the globe.

Besides hosting foreign visitors to the Maltese Parliament, the Speaker led several delegations drawn from both sides of the House on official visits to other parliaments and to participate in interparliamentary meetings overseas.

4.1 Outgoing visits and participation in international fora by the Speaker

4.1.1 Official visit to New South Wales, Australia and 22nd Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth, Wellington, New Zealand

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia and the Clerk of the House, Mr Raymond Scicluna, took part in the 22nd Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth which was held in Wellington, New Zealand, between 21 and 24 January. This meeting brought together more than 50 Speakers from Commonwealth parliaments to discuss how to reconnect Parliament with the public in order to keep parliaments relevant in the digital age, parliamentary privilege and the protection of the effective functioning of democracies, the challenges for small parliaments and openness and transparency.

Speaker Farrugia spoke on the subject of parliamentary privilege saying that every MP should make responsible use of the right to speak freely in Parliament without the risk of being sued for it and mentioned the system of citizen’s right of reply which was used by the New South Wales Parliament to control this privilege.

Speaker Farrugia chaired the fourth session on openness and transparency. In his opening remarks he said that in spite of varying degrees of scale and development, all parliaments have as their aim the advancement of democracy throughout the Commonwealth. He recalled the benchmarks established by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association against which parliaments can measure their level of openness and transparency.

During the meeting of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region Speaker Farrugia made a case for Malta’s candidacy to occupy the seat of this region on the Standing Committee of the Conference arguing that it should not always be the British delegation that holds this position, an argument that gathered considerable support.

On the way to New Zealand the Maltese delegation also visited the New South Wales Parliament in Sydney where a number of meetings were held. The main topics discussed were the citizen’s right of reply procedure, the role of the Commissioner for Standards and the lapsing of motions upon dissolution of Parliament.

4.1.2 Participation in the ceremonies marking the celebration of the adoption of the New Tunisian Constitution

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia was invited by the President of the National Constituent Assembly of Tunisia, Dr Mustapha Ben Jaafar, to take part in a ceremony being organised by the President of Tunisia, Dr Moncef Marzouki, between 6 and 8 February to mark the occasion of the Adoption of the Tunisian Constitution. The ceremony was held as an extraordinary session of the National Constituent Assembly.

A number of dignitaries from around the world were present for this occasion. Speaker Farrugia addressed the Assembly and started by congratulating the Tunisian people and the

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authorities for achieving such an important political development which should be of example to other countries in the region. He also referred to the planned elections to be held later in 2014 as being a crucial political goal that would further strengthen Tunisia’s transitional process towards democracy, a process which has Malta’s support.

4.1.3 Official visit to Tbilisi, Georgia

Between 24 and 27 February 2014 Speaker Anġlu Farrugia led a parliamentary delegation comprising Government Whip Carmelo Abela and Opposition Whip David Agius, to Tbilisi, Georgia. The visit took place on the invitation of Mr David Usupashvili, Speaker of the . During the meeting with his counterpart, Speaker Farrugia said that Malta supported the EU position in favour of Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and said that the Maltese Parliament encourages the Georgian Parliament to sign and ratify the EU association agreement.

The Maltese Parliament delegation also held meetings with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Tedo Japaridze, with the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Mr Kakha Kaladze, with the Chairman of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia, Mr Victor Dolidze, with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia, Mrs Tamar Beruchashvili and with the President of Georgia, HE Giorgi Margvelashvili.

4.1.4 International Conference ‘What Europe stands for – Growth, jobs and rights: will the European Union rise to the occasion?’, Rome

On 13 and 14 March Speaker Anġlu Farrugia participated in an international conference organised jointly by the Italian Camera dei Deputati and the on whether the European Union will rise to the occasion in the context of growth, jobs and rights. The conference was divided in two sessions: the first session dealt with promoting robust and sustainable growth based on sound employment in order to overcome the crisis, while the second session concerned ensuring respect for fundamental rights in European Union member states. Speaker Anġlu Farrugia was accompanied by Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Frederick Azzopardi.

Speaker Farrugia addressed the first session on growth based on sound employment. He said that analysts are now observing positive signs that the European economy is getting back on track with growth returning to economies which had been marked by periods of recession. He said that although the figures might show that the crisis is over, it has left critical levels of unemployment in certain Member States. He also referred to the figures for youth unemployment which are posing the risk of giving rise to a lost generation, i.e. a future generation which is now not being given the necessary skills and opportunities to grow into tomorrow’s political and business leaders. He added that although the figures for Malta are not as worrying, it is essential that employment, the only resource, is safeguarded.

Government Whip Hon. Carmelo Abela addressed the second session on ensuring respect for fundamental rights in European Union Member States. In his address Hon. Abela spoke about the plight of illegal immigrants and how the Dublin II Regulation was having an adverse effect on Malta. He added that this could be addressed by burden sharing by all the Member States, as this is a problem of the whole European Union not just Malta.

4.1.5 2014 International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy and Religion, Rome

Between 31 March and 3 April Speaker Anġlu Farrugia participated in the 2014 International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy and Religion, with the theme ‘The Promotion of World Peace through Inter-Faith Dialogue’, which was organised in Rome by the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy.

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The Speaker made a keynote address on ‘The Role of Inter-Faith Dialogue in Peace Building and Reconciliation’ in which he spoke about the role of cultural diplomacy and about the potential of culture to bring around change in a given situation and a positive attitude towards new things. In conclusion, the Speaker said that politicians and religious leaders alike have to continue to lead by example giving people a true sense of belonging and co- sharing of the decisions taken.

4.1.6 Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments in Vilnius,

Between 6 and 8 April Deputy Speaker Ċensu Galea took part in the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments which was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, as part of the meetings organised in the framework of the Lithuanian parliamentary dimension of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The items on the agenda of this Conference were: The Role of Parliaments in tackling the Consequences of the Economic and Financial Crisis; Five Years after coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon – Lessons of Subsidiarity Checks in Parliaments; Interparliamentary Cooperation with the Eastern Partnership Countries; and Interparliamentary Cooperation in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. The Speakers adopted Conclusions on these items discussed during the Conference.

4.1.7 Conference on Strengthening the capacity of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors to prevent corruption in their own ranks: emerging trends from two years of GRECO Round IV Evaluations, Vienna, Austria

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, took part in a conference on Strengthening the Capacity of Parliamentarians, Judges and Prosecutors to Prevent Corruption in their own ranks: Emerging Trends from Two Years of GRECO Round IV Evaluations, organised in Laxenburg, Austria, by the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) on 10 and 11 April. The IACA is a young international organization based in Laxenburg. It is the first global institution of its kind, dedicated to overcoming current shortcomings in knowledge and practice in the field of anti-corruption and seeking to empower professionals for the challenges for tomorrow.

Speaker Farrugia made a keynote address during the High-Level Segment of the Conference, where he spoke about a number of national legislative proposals, namely, the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, the Protection of the Whistleblower Act, the Select Committee of the House tasked with making recommendations on the setting up of the Office of Commissioner and a Standing Committee on Standards, Ethics and Proper Behaviour in Public Life and the Bill pursuant thereto and the proposed Bill on Financing of Political Parties.

The Speaker was accompanied by the Attorney General Dr Peter Grech.

4.1.8 Celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of the first free elections held in Poland after 1945, Warsaw, Poland

As was announced during the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments held in Vilnius on 6 April, the Marshal (Speaker) of the Sejm, Ms Ewa Kopacz invited the Speakers of the national parliaments to the 25th Anniversary of the first free elections held in Poland after 1945. The celebrations were held on 4 June in Warsaw.

Speaker Farrugia addressed a special Session of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, presided by HE Bogdan Borusewicz, Marshal of the Polish Senate.

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In his keynote address, Speaker Farrugia recalled the events which took place in 1989 which culminated in the electoral victory of the Polish movement Solidarność which served in turn as a catalyst in the process of political transition that swept throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives recalled how the fall of the Communist regime in Poland was followed by the fall of the Berlin Wall as well as the end of the Cold War. He also referred to the summit held in Malta in December 1989 between former US President George H. W. Bush and former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev, when they declared the official end of the Cold War.

In conclusion Hon. Anġlu Farrugia conveyed the congratulations of all the Representatives of the Parliament of Malta on this occasion.

4.1.9 Canonisation Mass by Pope Francis

On 27 April, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia attended the canonisation mass of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII celebrated by Pope Francis in Rome. About 150 cardinals and 700 bishops concelebrated the mass, and at least 500,000 people attended the mass in St Peter’s Square.

4.1.10 Round Table Conference organised by the commune of Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily

On 28 June, following an official invitation of the Mayor of Palazzolo Acreide Carlo Scibetta, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia was amongst the distinguished persons invited to participate in a conference with the theme Il territorio, la cultura, e le imprese multifunzionale per nuove forme di cooperazione nel Mediterraneo held in Palazzo Comunale of Palazzolo Acreide.

At the end of the conference, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia together with the other distinguished participants, were taken on a familiarisation visit of the territory where they could watch closely the local entrepreneurial realities.

4.1.11 Eleventh Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians, Wroxton,

On 26 and 27 July Speaker Anġlu Farrugia took part in the 11th Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians organised by Hull University in conjunction with the Inter- Parliamentary Union and the Centre of Legislative Studies of the same university in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

One of the main themes discussed during the workshop was policy-making and accountability, in particular the accountability of Members of Parliament, on a national and European level.

In his speech, the Speaker reiterated that any form of failure by a Member or Members of Parliament, seriously undermines the confidence of citizens in the elected politician or politicians which subsequently leads to lack of trust in the state and in institutions which is detrimental to the whole political system.

With regards to the EU institutions and their functioning, the Speaker said that these same institutions are obliged to promote transparency and to ensure that decisions taken are in the interest of the European citizen. He argued that transparency can be ensured by respecting the right of civil society to access EU documents as provided for in Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

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4.1.12 11th General Meeting of the International Parliamentarians’ Coalition for North Korean Refugees and Human Rights (IPCNKR), Bucharest, Romania

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, together with Government Whip, Hon. Carmelo Abela, and Opposition Whip, Hon. David Agius, formed part of a Parliamentary delegation which participated in the 11th General Meeting of the IPCNKR, held in Bucharest, Romania between 21 and 23 August. The theme of this year’s meeting was the ‘Role of International Organisations in Resolving the Issue of North Korean Human Rights’.

This was the second time that the Maltese Parliament was represented in this gathering, which for the second consecutive time took place in a European Member State. Speaker Farrugia made congratulatory remarks at the opening of the meeting where he recalled his contribution to the 10th Joint Statement adopted during the 2013 meeting and expressed his satisfaction that the last paragraph of this Statement, which asked for it to be conveyed “to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as part of its effort to co-operate with international and regional organisations, such as the European Union and the Council of Europe, toward the termination of the tragedies of North Koreans”, was also part of the Statement of the 11th IPCNKR.

In his address, Speaker Farrugia referred to the 372-page report by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), which contained a number of recommendations intended to address the serious human rights violations found to be committed by the DPRK. He likewise referred to the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK as well as to the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council drawn up in preparation for the 27th Session of the Human Rights Council due in September 2014.

The Speaker also spoke about the various contributions by the European Union vis-à-vis the human rights situation in the DPRK, particularly the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council of 10 February 2014 where the EU declared its support to the “work of the Commission of Inquiry investigating the human rights situation in the DPRK” and also ensured “follow-up to its report and recommendations”.

In conclusion, Speaker Farrugia appealed to the North Korean people not to despair as the countries represented gathered for the meeting are on their side.

At the end of the meeting, the delegates approved the 11th Joint Statement of the IPCNKR. During the closing session of the meeting it was agreed that the meeting in 2015 will be hosted by Austria.

4.1.13 European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, Oslo, Norway

On 11 and 12 September Deputy Speaker Ċensu Galea participated in the 2014 European Conference of Presidents of Parliament which was organised by the (Parliament of Norway). This biennial Conference brings together Presidents of Parliament from the Council of Europe’s Member States and from a number of neighbouring countries. It is hosted alternately in Strasbourg or in the capital of a Council of Europe Member State. The main themes of this year’s Conference were ‘Fundamental constitutional rights and freedoms – participation, trust and public debate as conditions for democracy’, ‘Democracy, sovereignty and security in Europe’ and ‘Majority and Opposition – striking a balance in a democracy’.

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4.1.14 Parliamentary Intelligence Forum, Washington, USA

On the invitation of US Congressman Robert Pittenger, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, participated in the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum which was held in the Capitol, Washington DC, on 18 and 19 September.

During the Forum, the participants had meetings with members of the US Congress from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and with Chairman Goodlatte of the House Committee on Judiciary. They participated in discussions on ‘Full Assessment of the ISIS Threat against the West’, ‘Espionage and Transatlantic Politics’ and ‘Defunding the Threat of Terrorism’.

On the margins of the Forum, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia discussed the role of Malta in the current Libyan crisis with the US Congress House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers. Speaker Farrugia emphasised that Malta, as a neutral and credible country, can have a very strategic role in dealing with all factions that are presently in conflict to dominate Libya.

Chairman Rogers thanked Malta for accepting that the US Ambassador to Libya works temporarily from Malta in view of the volatile situation in that country.

The Speaker, accompanied by Hon. Carmelo Abela, joined several parliamentarians from a number of European and other countries, including Austria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom.

4.1.15 Conference of Presidents of Parliament of European Small States, Andorra

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia participated in the IX Conference of the Presidents of the Small States of Europe which this year was hosted by the General Council of Andorra between 24 and 26 September.

The main themes of this year’s Conference were: ‘Current issues and a perspective on order in the parliaments of the small European states’, ‘Criteria, policies and results in the recovery from the crisis in the small states’ and ‘The small states’ contribution to democratic governance’. When addressing the Conference, Speaker Farrugia emphasised Malta’s international credibility and capacity to assist Libya to regain its governability through co- operation between Parliament and the United Nations, especially now that a special UN Mission has been authorised under Bernardino Leon, representative of the United Nations Secretary General. Speaker Farrugia also highlighted Malta’s neutrality which would be essential in assisting both sides in getting all Libyan factions to commence discussions for mutual benefit.

In his intervention on the topic dealing with small States’ contribution to democratic governance, Speaker Farrugia emphasised the importance of a truly autonomous Parliament and a Parliament which is open and close to the people. On this matter he spoke about the new Commissioner for Standards in Public Life who will deal with the ethical behaviour of MPs and also about the plans for Parliament to commence live streaming of all parliamentary debates and a parliamentary TV channel.

4.1.16 CPA 34th Small Branches Conference and 60th Annual Conference, Yaoundé, Cameroon

A delegation from the Maltese Parliament, led by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia and comprising Hon. Carmelo Abela, Hon. David Agius and Hon. Anthony Agius Decelis, took part in the

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Commonwealth 60th Annual Conference and 34th Small Branches Conference organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) between 2 and 10 October in Yaoundé, Cameroon. A number of workshops were organised during the 60th Annual Conference. Speaker Anġlu Farrugia took part in the workshops on transparency and accountability as requirements for good governance and on codes of ethics for Members of Parliament, where he spoke about the plans for setting up an independent office and standing committee on standards in public life in Malta. Hon. Abela took part in the workshop on the post-2015 development agenda against the standards set out in the Commonwealth Charter. In his intervention, Hon. Abela stressed that national parliaments have a duty to ensure that their respective governments are committed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, which ultimately affect the lives of the citizens.

In Yaoundé the delegation also took part in the 34th Small Branches Conference. The opening address of the Conference was made by Sir Alan Haselhurst, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CPA. In his speech he made reference to his visit to Malta earlier this year and praised Malta’s participation in the CPA, particularly in the Small Branches area. The themes discussed during this Conference concerned specifically the economic and social challenges faced by small countries and the role of parliaments in respect of the most vulnerable citizens.

4.1.17 Visit to Saudi Arabia

Between 23 and 25 November, the Speaker led a parliamentary delegation, including Hon. Toni Bezzina and Hon. Joseph M. Sammut, to Saudi Arabia. During the visit, the delegation held several meetings with dignitaries from Saudi Arabia and discussed several issues including: the relationship between the two countries, the international situation in the context of the situation in Libya and the advancement of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the role played by Malta in peacekeeping in view of its neutral status, and the possibilities of further exchanges between the Maltese Parliament and the Shoura Council of Saudi Arabia.

4.1.18 Participation in the 66th Plenary Meeting of GRECO

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia took part in the 66th Plenary Meeting of GRECO (Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe) which was held in Strasbourg, France, between 8 and 12 December under the Presidency of the Croatian Marin Mrčela. In the plenary meeting, in which Malta was represented by the Speaker, the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, the report on Malta drawn up by GRECO following the visit of the same GRECO to Malta as part of the Fourth Evaluation Round between 23 and 27 June of this year, was discussed and approved.

During the visit in Strasbourg, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia met with Ms Tania Carabott, Deputy Permanent Representative of Malta to the Council of Europe.

4.2 Outgoing Visits of Maltese Parliamentary Delegations

4.2.1 Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs

January Hon. Chris Fearne participated in the Meeting of COSAC Chairpersons which was held in Athens on 26 and 27 January

June Hon. Joseph M. Sammut and Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech took part in the LI COSAC Meeting which was held in Athens between 15 and 17 June

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November Hon. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici participated in the LII COSAC Meeting which was held in Rome between 31 November and 2 December.

4.2.2 European Parliament and European Union Presidency Meetings

Members of Parliament participate in two types of interparliamentary meetings with the European Parliament: meetings of committee Chairs organised by the parliament of the country holding the rotating EU Presidency and interparliamentary committee meetings organised by the committees of the European Parliament.

Interparliamentary committee meetings with national parliaments are proposed on the initiative of an individual parliamentary committee of the European Parliament, for which national parliamentarians from their corresponding committee are invited. These meetings are a continuation of existing practice and mainly cover the policy areas where the European Union has legislative powers using the co-decision procedure. The aim of these meetings is to promote exchange of views and best practice between European and national parliamentarians with a view to influencing the legislative decisions of the European Parliament and ensuring more transparency and openness in the decision-making process. They are co-organised by the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments and the European Parliament committee concerned.

During the course of the year under review, Maltese Members of Parliament participated in the following European Parliament, European Commission and European Union Presidency meetings:

January Hon. Tonio Fenech took part in the European Parliamentary Week on the European Semester organised by the European Parliament in Brussels on 20 and 21 January

Hon. Chris Fearne participated in the Meeting of the Committees on European Affairs of the Parliaments of the South which was held in Nicosia, on 24 and 25 January

February Hon. Jason Azzopardi and Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Meeting of Chairpersons of the Committees on justice and home affairs, organised by the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Athens, on 16 and 17 February

Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Claudio Grech participated in the Parliamentary Forum on EU Parliaments in global governance, organised by the European Parliament in Brussels on 18 February

March On 19 March Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Joint Committee Meeting on ‘Future priorities in the field of civil liberties, justice and home affairs’ organised by the European Parliament in Brussels

Hon. and Hon. Deborah Schembri participated in the Inter- Parliamentary Committee Meeting ‘Preventing violence against women – a challenge for all’ which was organised by the European Parliament in Brussels on 5 March

Hon. Toni Bezzina and Hon. Joseph M. Sammut took part in the Meeting of Chairpersons of the Committees on production, trade and maritime affairs organised by the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Athens, on 16 and 17 March

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September On 23 September Hon. Tonio Fenech took part in an Exchange of Views between members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) of the European Parliament and national parliamentarians on the European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 prorities, organised by the European Parliament in Brussels

On 29 and 30 September Hon. Tonio Fenech and Hon. Silvio Schembri participated in the Interparliamentary Conference under Article 13 of the Fiscal Compact which was organised by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Rome

October Hon. Jason Azzopardi and Hon. Deborah Schembri participated in the Meeting of Chairpersons of the Committees on fundamental rights organised by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Rome on 13 and 14 October

Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Ċensu Galea took part in the Meeting of Chairpersons of Committees on agriculture, industrial development and SMEs organised by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Rome on 26 and 27 October

November Hon. Luciano Busuttil and Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech took part in the Inter- Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CFSP/CSDP) organised by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Rome between 5 and 7 November

On 10 and 11 November Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Fundamental Rights Conference organised by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and co-hosted together with the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Rome on 10 and 11 November

On 20 and 21 November Hon. Joseph Farrugia and Hon. Stephen Spiteri took part in the Meeting of Chairpersons of Committees specialised on employment, research and innovation organised by the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in Rome.

4.2.3 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) brings together democratically elected Members of Parliament from the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe. Using its powers under the founding Statute, the Assembly can:

 Demand action from 47 European governments, who must jointly reply;  Conduct probes to uncover new facts about human rights violations;  Question Presidents and Prime Ministers on any topic it chooses;  Observe elections and send delegations to mediate in crisis hot-spots;  Negotiate the terms on which states join the Council of Europe;  Inspire new national laws by proposing and giving opinions on treaties;  Request legal opinions on the laws and constitutions of member states; and  Sanction a member state by recommending its exclusion or suspension.

Though it has no power to pass binding laws, PACE holds a constant dialogue with governments, national parliaments, other international organisations and civil society which

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"sets the agenda". In this way, its texts filter down through law and practice to improve the lives of Europeans.

Through its recommendations, the Assembly demands action on behalf of the 800 million Europeans it represents and the 47 governments of the Council of Europe, represented in the Committee of Ministers, are obliged to respond. In practice, the Assembly often acts as the driving force of the Council of Europe by promoting new ideas, setting strategic direction and initiating many of the Council's most important activities.

The Assembly sets its own agenda where it discusses European and international events covering issues related to human rights, democracy, protection of minorities and the rule of law.

In terms of Motion No. 16 adopted by the House on 15 April 2013 and Motion No. 130 adopted by the House on 7 May 2014, the Maltese delegation to the PACE is composed as follows:

Members Hon. Joe Debono Grech, Leader of the delegation Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami Hon. Deborah Schembri

Substitute Members Hon. Charlò Bonnici Hon. Deo Debattista Hon. Joseph M. Sammut

The delegates are also members of the committees as shown hereunder:

Hon. Joe Debono Grech  Bureau of the Assembly  Standing Committee of the Assembly  Political Affairs and Democracy Committee  Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons  Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)

Hon. Charlò Bonnici  Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)  Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development  Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media

Hon. Deo Debattista  Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development  Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media

Hon. Joseph M. Sammut  Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights  Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami  Political Affairs and Democracy Committee

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 Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons

Hon. Deborah Schembri  Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights  Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination.

The following information lists the Maltese delegation’s participation in both the Assembly plenary sessions and Committee meetings where Members had the opportunity to participate in discussions on a number of texts which later were adopted or otherwise, by the Assembly:

January Hon. Joe Debono Grech, Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami, Hon. Michael Falzon and Hon. Charlò Bonnici took part in the First Part of the 2014 Ordinary Session of the PACE, which was held in Strasbourg between 27 and 29 January

March Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Meeting of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination which was organised in Vienna, on 4 March

April Hon. Joe Debono Grech, Hon. Charlò Bonnici and Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami took part in the Second Part of the 2014 Ordinary Session of the PACE, which was held in Strasbourg between 6 and 9 April

May Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in the Meeting of the Standing Committee held in Azerbaijan on 18 May

June Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Meeting of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination which was organised in Paris on 2 June

Hon. Joe Debono Grech, Hon. Charlò Bonnici and Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami took part in the Third Part of the 2014 Ordinary Session of the PACE, which was held in Strasbourg between 23 and 25 June

September Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in the Meeting of the Monitoring Committee which was held on 3 September in Paris

Hon. Deborah Schembri participated in the Meeting of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and in the Meeting of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, which took place in Paris on 8 and 9 September

On 22 September, Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in the Meeting of the ad hoc sub-committee of the Monitoring Committee on Russia’s Neighbourhood Policy with regard to other Council of Europe Member States, which was organised in Vienna

Hon. Joe Debono Grech, Hon. Charlò Bonnici and Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Fourth Part of the 2014 Ordinary Session of the PACE, which was held in Strasbourg between 29 September and 3 October

October Between 9 and 13 October Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in a PACE General Elections Observation Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 23 and 24 October Hon. Claudette Buttigieg and Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the Seminar organised by the Sub-Committee on Co-

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operation with non-European Countries of Origin and Transit of the Monitoring Committee, which was held in Rabat, Morocco

November Hon. Deo Debattista and Hon. Marthese Portelli took part in the Parliamentary Seminar on Ensuring safe and healthy working conditions organised by the Sub-committee on the European Social Charter which was organised on 10 November in Paris

Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in the Meeting of the Monitoring Committee which was organised on 14 November in Paris

Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in the Meeting of the Standing Committee which was held on 18 November in Brussels

On 25 November Hon. Joe Debono Grech, Hon. Charlò Bonnici and Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in a Meeting of the Enlarged Standing Committee in Strasbourg

December Hon. Deborah Schembri participated in a Parliamentary Seminar organised by the Sub-Committee on Gender Equality Parliamentary Network “Women free from Violence” and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Equalities on Women free from Violence in the United Kingdom: The Istanbul Convention, in London on 9 December

Hon. Joe Debono Grech took part in the Meeting of the Monitoring Committee which was organised in Paris on 11 December.

The resolutions and recommendations adopted or approved by the PACE were laid on the Table of the House of Representatives.

Hon. Joe Debono Grech, as co-rapporteur of the Monitoring Committee on Azerbaijan, took part in two fact-finding missions in Azerbaijan as follows:

January Between 20 and 24 January in the Fact Finding Mission to Azerbaijan organised by the PACE

May Between 19 and 24 May in the Fact-Finding Visit of Co-Rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee to the Republic of Azerbaijan in Azerbaijan.

4.2.4 Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean

Since the Helsinki process in 1973 – which led to the setting up of the CSCE (Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe) – countries like Malta strongly underscored the principle of indivisibility of security and vehemently underscored that peace, security and stability in Europe and in the Mediterranean were intrinsically and inextricably interlinked. The ‘Mediterranean dimension’, better known as the CSCM (Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean), within the Charter of Paris for a New Europe signed in November 1990, is synonymous to Malta which advocated since the very start of the Helsinki process that there cannot be security in Europe without security in the Mediterranean. To underscore the importance of this dimension and its commitment towards the region, Malta hosted four CSCE/OSCE seminars on the Mediterranean, the first one in 1979, followed by those in 1993 and in 1998 and 2010.

Following seven Interparliamentary Conferences on Security and Cooperation in Europe between 1972 and 1991, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) decided on a similar process in

52 the Mediterranean, launching the process of the CSCM under the auspices of the IPU and including all littoral states of the Mediterranean.

In April 1990, during the 83rd IPU Conference in Nicosia, a resolution entitled The Promotion of Peace and Security in the Mediterranean region in the light of developments in Europe and the new spirit prevailing internationally recommended the convening of a Conference of Parliamentarians of all Mediterranean States to discuss measures addressing various fields of cooperation. The idea of an Interparliamentary CSCM was met with interest and support from among Parliamentarians around the Mediterranean. IPU decided therefore to launch an ‘interparliamentary’ CSCM which convened meetings in Malaga (Spain) in June 1992, in Valletta (Malta) in November 1995, and in Marseille (France) in April 2000.

The Malaga Conference confirmed the basic principles of the process and set up the general framework for cooperation between the Mediterranean partners; the Valletta Conference affirmed the need to give the CSCM process a solid institutional basis, both at governmental and parliamentary level, and further recommended, on Malta’s initiative, the setting up of an Association of Mediterranean States. The Marseille Conference urged that ‘concurrent action should continue to be taken to establish an interparliamentary cooperation structure as advocated in the Final Document of the Second Interparliamentary Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean, with a view to creating, in the long run, a Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean’ and ‘to establish an interparliamentary structure as advocated in the Valletta (1995) document’ which enjoys a superior status, thus institutionalizing the CSCM process.

In February 2005, the Fourth and final CSCM Conference was held in Nafplion, Greece. During that meeting, representatives of national parliaments of the Mediterranean States finalized and adopted the Statutes of the Parliamentary Assembly and decided to hold the first meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) in Amman, Jordan in 2006.

During PAM’s inauguration on 10-11 September 2006 in Amman, Jordan, Malta was unanimously selected to host the PAM’s Secretariat at Palazzo Spinola in St Julian’s.

The aim of the PAM is to provide the Mediterranean with a unique parliamentary forum of its own and to bring together, on an equal footing, the national parliaments on the Mediterranean littoral. By addressing issues of common concern to foster and enhance further confidence between Member States to ensure regional security and stability and promote peace, the Assembly works to develop cooperation among its Members in its fields of action by promoting political dialogue and understanding between parliaments concerned.

PAM is a regional interstate organisation and is an Observer at the General Assembly of the United Nations. Over a short period, PAM has established itself as the main actor in parliamentary diplomacy in the region, and its commitment to the founding principles and its Charter, is guaranteed by the continued support of all its member parliaments.

The detailed work of the Assembly is carried out by three Standing Committees which draw up opinions and recommendations. The committees of the PAM are:

 First Standing Committee on Political and Security-Related Cooperation  Second Standing Committee on Economic, Social and Environmental Cooperation  Third Standing Committee on Dialogue among Civilisations and Human Rights.

Furthermore, in early 2008, the Standing Committees of the Assembly set up a number of working groups under the form of ad hoc Committees and Special Task Forces.

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By way of Motion No. 27 approved by the House on 29 April 2013, the parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean is composed as follows:

Members Hon. Justyne Caruana, Leader of the delegation Hon. Albert Fenech Hon. Joseph M. Sammut Hon. Silvio Schembri Hon. Stephen Spiteri

Substitute Members Hon. Etienne Grech Hon. Clyde Puli

Details of the delegation’s participation in PAM meetings are as follows:

January Hon. Justyne Caruana took part in the 8th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean which was organised in Marseille on 22 January

April Hon. Joseph M. Sammut and Hon. Clyde Puli participated in the Meeting of the 3rd Standing Committee of the PAM which was organised in Antalya on 24 and 25 April

May Hon. Justyne Caruana took part in the 24th Meeting of the PAM Bureau which was organised in Athens on 5 and 6 May

Hon. Joseph M. Sammut and Hon. Stephen Spiteri took part in a conference organised by the PAM on Waste management: collection, recycling and reuse which took place in Caserta on 30 and 31 May

November On 10 November Hon. Justyne Caruana participated in the Meeting of the Extended PAM Bureau which was organised in Rome.

4.2.5 Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM), formerly Euro- Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, consists of 280 members: 132 EU members (83 members from the 28 EU national parliaments – three from each Parliament except for the UK that has two members – and 49 members from the European Parliament), 8 members from parliaments of the European Mediterranean partner countries (two for each delegation from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monaco and Montenegro), 130 members from the ten founding countries on the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey), and 10 members from the Parliament of Mauritania.

The Assembly has five parliamentary committees which are responsible for monitoring the following aspects of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership:

 Committee on Political Affairs, Security, and Human Rights  Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs, Social Affairs and Education  Committee on Improving Quality of Life, Exchanges between Civil Societies, and Culture;  Committee on Women’s Rights in Euro-Mediterranean countries  Committee on Energy, Environment, and Water.

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The Assembly may set up working groups whose membership and powers will be determined by the bureau.

The PA-UfM is a consultative institution. Its resolutions and recommendations focus on the partnership’s objectives and areas of cooperation and are not legally binding. At present, the PA-UfM is the main parliamentary dimension of the Union for the Mediterranean. It absorbed the Barcelona Process and was officially launched at the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of 43 countries held in Paris on 13 July 2008.

On 28 April 2010, the European Parliament adopted Motion 2009/2215(INI) on the Union for the Mediterranean, whereby, in its clause 37, ‘stresses that the purpose of the EMPA is to become the parliamentary assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, which will guarantee its democratic legitimacy, and supports the proposal of the 6th plenary session of the EMPA held in Amman on 13 and 14 March 2010 and that the name of the EMPA should be changed to Parliamentary Assembly – Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM)’.

By way of Motion No. 29 approved by the House on 29 April 2013 the parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean is composed of the following Members:

Members Hon. Michael Falzon, Leader of the delegation Hon. Ċensu Galea Hon. Silvio Parnis

Substitute Members Hon. Luciano Busuttil Hon. Albert Fenech Hon. Silvio Schembri

February Hon. Michael Falzon, Hon. Ċensu Galea, Hon. Silvio Schembri and Hon. Justyne Caruana took part in the Plenary Session organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean which was organised in Amman, Jordan, on 8 and 9 February

October On 23 and 24 October Hon. Ċensu Galea took part in the Meeting of the Committee on Improving Quality of Life, Exchanges between Civil Societies and Culture, which was organised in Rome.

4.2.6 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an association of Commonwealth parliamentarians united in their interests, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms, and by the pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary democracy. The CPA works in the fields of good governance, of democracy and elections, and of human rights, while special attention is also paid to gender sensitising (thus the appointment of the branch of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians) and to promoting awareness of parliamentary democracy among the youth of the Commonwealth. It was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association.

The mission of the CPA is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance. It seeks to build an informed parliamentary community able to deepen the democratic commitment of the Commonwealth and to further cooperation among its parliaments.

During 2014 Members of the Maltese House of Representatives took part in the following CPA events:

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March Between 14 and 17 March, Hon. Justyne Caruana and Hon. Claudette Buttigieg took part in the Meeting of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians in the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) on enhancing the participation of women in politics, organised in Edinburgh

April Hon. Carmelo Abela took part in the CPA Executive Committee Mid-Year Meeting which was organised in London between 28 April and 1 May

May Hon. Carmelo Abela, Hon. Luciano Busuttil and Hon. Charles Mangion participated in the 44th CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Conference in Cardiff between 27 and 30 May

June Hon. Deo Debattista and Hon. Tonio Fenech participated in the 4th Westminster Workshop on the role of Public Accounts and other parliamentary committees in financial scrutiny of public expenditure organised by the CPA UK Branch in London between 23 and 26 June

July Between 25 July and 2 August Hon. Deborah Schembri took part in the 39th CPA Annual Regional Conference of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region, which was organised in Barbados

September Hon. Mario Galea took part in a CPA Election Observation Mission in Montserrat between 3 and 15 September

November Between 17 and 21 November Hon. Robert Cutajar and Hon. Silvio Schembri took part in the International Parliamentary Conference on Growth for Development organised by the CPA in London

December Hon. Justyne Caruana took part in the Meeting of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Steering Committee held in London on 12 December.

4.2.7 Inter-Parliamentary Union

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is an international organisation established in 1889 as a forum for political multilateral negotiations. To that end, it:

 fosters contacts, co-ordination, and the exchange of experience among parliaments and parliamentarians of all countries;  considers questions of international interest and concern and expresses its views on such issues in order to bring about action by parliaments and parliamentarians;  contributes to the defence and promotion of human rights - an essential factor of parliamentary democracy and development;  contributes to better knowledge of the working of representative institutions and to the strengthening and development of their means of action.

The Maltese Parliament, together with the parliaments of 165 other countries, is a member of the IPU. The IPU supports the efforts of and works in close cooperation with the United Nations and has a permanent observer status at the United Nations.

One of the organs of the IPU is the Assembly which is composed of parliamentarians designated as delegates by the parliaments of the countries in the Union. The Assembly meets twice a year and is assisted in its work by a number of standing committees which normally prepare reports and draft resolutions for the Assembly.

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In October 2011, the IPU adopted its Strategy for 2012-2017 under the overall title Better parliaments, stronger democracy.

The parliamentary delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as set out in Motion No. 26 approved by the House on 29 April 2013, is made up of:

Members Hon. Carmelo Abela, Leader of the delegation Hon. Michael Gonzi

Substitute Members Hon. Joseph M. Sammut Hon. Stephen Spiteri

During 2014, the Members of the parliamentary delegation participated in the following meetings:

March Between 16 and 20 March, Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Michael Gonzi took part in the 130th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and related meetings, held in Geneva

October Between 14 and 16 October Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Michael Gonzi took part in the 131st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and related meetings, held in Geneva.

4.2.8 Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) was established following a decision of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) at a Ministerial Conference in Berlin in 1991. The first formal session of the Parliamentary Assembly was held in Budapest in July 1992. Currently the OSCE PA is made up of 323 members from 56 parliaments, including the Maltese Parliament.

The aim of the OSCE PA is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue which is an important aspect of the overall effort to meet the challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area. It offers a forum for political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of early-warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, and puts the political will of its participating states into practice through the unique network of OSCE field missions.

By way of Motion No. 28 approved by the House on 29 April 2013 and Motion 131 approved by the House on 7 May 2014, the Maltese Parliament is represented in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe as follows:

Members Hon. Godfrey Farrugia, Leader of the delegation Hon. Carmelo Abela Hon. Frederick Azzopardi

Substitute Members Hon. Jason Azzopardi Hon. Luciano Busuttil Hon. Michael Falzon

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Members of the Maltese delegation participated in the following meetings:

January Hon. Chris Fearne took part in the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation which was held in Vienna, on 29 January

February Hon. Chris Fearne, Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Frederick Azzopardi took part in the Winter Meeting organised by the OSCE PA in Vienna, on 13 and 14 February

June Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Godfrey Farrugia participated in the Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly which was organised in Baku, Azerbaijan, between 28 June and 2 July

October Between 3 and 5 October Hon. Godfrey Farrugia, Hon. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Hon. Joseph M. Sammut took part in the Autumn Meeting of the OSCE PA which took place in Geneva.

4.2.9 Other meetings

January Hon. Jason Azzopardi took part in the conference ‘An open and safe Europe – What next?’ organised by the European Commission in Brussels on 29 and 30 January

April Hon. David Agius, Hon. Jason Azzopardi and Hon. Silvio Parnis, members of the Malta-France Parliamentary Friendship Group, took part in an official visit to Paris between 7 and 9 April

June Hon. Claudette Buttigieg took part in the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict which was organised in London between 10 and 13 June

September Hon. Luciano Busuttil took part in the 12th Summer Defence Conference which was held in Bordeaux, France, on 8 and 9 September

Hon. David Agius participated in the European Interparliamentary Conference: Challenges of sustainable tourism - Promoting Cultural Heritage and Environmental protection which was organised in by the in Zagreb, Croatia, between 10 and 13 September

October On 6 and 7 October Hon. Luciano Busuttil, Hon. Marthese Portelli, Hon. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Hon. Joseph M. Sammut took part in the 8th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP-8) held in Rome

On 10 and 11 October Hon. Charles Buhagiar, Hon. Ċensu Galea and Hon. George Pullicino took part in the EUFORES Inter-parliamentary Meeting on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency held in Lisbon

November On 21 November Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici participated in the United Nations International Meeting of Parliamentarians in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace held in New York.

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4.3 Incoming Visits and Conferences organised by the Maltese Parliament

4.3.1 Visit by Vice President of the European Commission

Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration, Maroš Šefčovič, visited Malta on 29-31 January. As part of the programme the Commissioner paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and also addressed the Foreign and European Affairs Committee. An important part of the portfolio of Vice President Šefčovič is relations with national parliaments. During his short visit to Malta, Commissioner Šefčovič was taken on a tour of the new Parliament building by Mr Speaker.

The main issues discussed in the meeting with the Speaker were the increasing role of the Maltese Parliament in European affairs especially in the light of new powers and responsibilities arising from the Lisbon Treaty, the importance of interparliamentary co-operation, the forthcoming European elections, new instruments adopted in the aftermath of the financial crisis and better democratic legitimacy in the economic governance process.

With the members of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee, Vice President Šefčovič spoke about the relations between the European Commission and national parliaments, the involvement of national parliaments in pre-legislative consultations, the ‘yellow-card’ shown by national parliaments in respect of the proposal for a European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the current rules concerning subsidiarity checks by national parliaments and the future of COSAC (Conference of European Scrutiny Committees).

4.3.2 Visit by the President of the Hellenic Republic

On 13 February, the President of the Hellenic Republic HE Karolas Papoulias who was on a state visit to Malta, paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Deputy Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Kyriakos Gerontopoulos, accompanied HE Papoulias on this visit.

HE Papoulias and Hon. Farrugia discussed topics of mutual interest, including the excellent relations that exist between Malta and Greece, the Greek Presidency of the European Union, the question of irregular migration, the financial crisis and unemployment, maritime affairs and the recent twinning between Gżira and Glyfada.

During his visit to Malta, the Greek President conferred the Grand-Croix de l’Ordre de l’Honneur of Greece on the Speaker.

4.3.3 Meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the PACE

On 27 and 28 February Malta hosted a meeting of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) under the auspices of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). 41 Committee members and three observers participated at this meeting which was addressed by Mr Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Speaker Farrugia, addressing the participants, referred to the importance given by the Monitoring Committee to human rights, justice and rule of law, and emphasised the important role of the Monitoring Committee in relation to the current situation in Ukraine.

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Hon. Joe Debono Grech, leader of the Maltese delegation to the PACE, Hon. Deborah Schembri, Hon. Toni Bezzina and Hon. Charlò Bonnici, members of the same delegation, participated at the meeting. The proceedings of the meeting were held in camera.

4.3.4 Visit by the President of the Executive Committee of the CPA

On 8 May, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia met with Sir Alan Haselhurst MP, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

During the meeting, both dignitaries spoke of the excellent relations that exist between the House of Representatives of Malta and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, where Malta is represented by Hon. Carmelo Abela and Hon. David Agius as a member and substitute member of the CPA Executive Committee, respectively.

They discussed various issues of common interest, particularly the initiative of Sir Alan Haselhurst on strengthening the role of the Commonwealth Small Branches by establishing a President of Small Branches who, among other duties, will represent the CPA Small Branches on the Executive Committee. Malta has already expressed its support of this initiative.

They also referred to the suggestion of the Maltese Prime Minister at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Sri Lanka in 2013, to set up a Centre of Excellence for Small States in Malta.

4.3.5 Visit by the Israel-Malta Parliamentary Friendship Group

Between 17 and 19 June a delegation from the Israel-Malta Parliamentary Friendship Group paid an official visit to Malta during which the Members of the Israeli paid a courtesy call on Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives. The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including the links between the Maltese and the Jews, the outcome of the Prime Minister’s visit to Israel last October, co-operation at various levels and the recent kidnapping of three Israeli youths.

The Israeli delegation led by Ms Orly Levi-Abekasis, Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, held discussions with its counterpart, the Malta-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group, and had a joint meeting with the Foreign and European Affairs Committee and the Family Affairs Committee.

The delegation met Hon. George Vella, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. , Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, as well as Hon. Edward Zammit Lewis, Minister for Tourism. They also visited Malta Enterprise where a presentation on investment promotion was made to the delegation.

4.3.6 Visit by a delegation of the German

On 1 October a delegation of the German Bundestag, led by Mr Peter Blaser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of the Federal Republic of Germany, visited the Maltese Parliament.

The two sides reiterated the excellent political, economic and cultural relations that exist between Malta and Germany since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in December 1964. During the meeting the two sides discussed co-operation at parliamentary level, particularly the activities of the Joint Parliamentary Friendship Group set up between the Maltese Parliament and the Bundestag, as well as other issues of

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4.3.7 Visit by a delegation from the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial Congress, China

On 13 October Speaker Anġlu Farrugia received a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial Congress in China.

The two sides reiterated the outstanding bilateral relations that exist between Malta and the People’s Republic of China at the political, economic and cultural level, following the establishment of diplomatic relations in January 1972.

Hon. Farrugia expressed the interest in reconvening the Sino-Maltese Joint Economic Commission at the earliest opportunity given that the last session was held back in 2009. This was stated in view of Malta’s wish to consolidate the areas of economic and trade cooperation with the People’s Republic of China.

The Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial Congress, Mr Li Chunming, thanked Hon. Farrugia for the warm welcome that was extended to the visiting delegation and invited the Maltese Parliament to reciprocate this visit. Both sides agreed that bilateral relations should be further enhanced in order to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy.

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5. ASSOCIATION OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

The Association of Former Members of Parliament of the House of Representatives held a number of meetings during the course of 2014. The Maltese Association has been a member of the European Association of Former Parliamentarians of the Member States of the Council of Europe since 2006.

The principal objective of the European Association is to promote the European ideal, based on individual and political liberties, the primacy of law and true democracy, and to contribute to the European construction. To this end, the association works to make the European institutions better known to the general public and organises meetings and colloquies aimed at examining the major problems of society. All reports of the European Association during their colloquies are forwarded to the Council of Europe and to the European institutions.

In 2014, the Association of Former Members of Parliament met with the independent commission set up by the Prime Minister in 2013 chaired by Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino, with the aim of making recommendations on the pay packages of MPs. During this meeting, the Association expressed its views on the remuneration and benefits of parliamentarians and on the functioning of Parliament in general.

The Association also met with representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister and of the Parliamentary Secretary for EU funds and 2017 Presidency about the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be organised in Malta and the Malta’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2017, offering its assistance and expertise, if required.

Mr Lino Debono and Dr Vincent Moran participated in the Bureau of the European Association of Former Members of Parliament of the Member States of the Council of Europe, which was held in Paris on 14 March.

Between 12 and 14 June Mr Lino Debono and Mr Michael Bonnici took part in the Meeting of the Bureau of the European Association of Former Parliamentarians which was held in Warsaw. During this meeting the Minutes of the Bureau Meeting and of the General Assembly held on 15 March in the French were discussed and approved. A general discussion on the subject of strengthening the democratic institutions and the participation of the people in the light of the challenges of democracy in the age of globalisation was held. An important issue for Malta raised during the discussion was the voting rights of immigrants, on which the Maltese delegation insisted that immigrants should not have voting rights as these should be limited to citizens. The Maltese delegation also proposed an amendment to the Warsaw Declaration on the 100th Anniversary of the beginning of World War I and the 75th Anniversary of the beginning of World War II. The proposal of the Maltese delegation was to replace the wording ‘Europe should be one’ with ‘A united Europe’ in order to avoid any inference to federalism. This amendment was accepted and approved by the Assembly.

Mr Alfred Portelli and Mr Manuel Borda took part in the Colloquy organised by the European Association of Former Members of Parliament, on ‘The challenges for democracy in times of globalisation – how to strengthen the democratic institutions and people’s participation?’ held in Brussels between 12 and 14 November 2014.

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6. OTHER ACTIVITIES

6.1 Publication “Is-Sedja Titkellem”

Towards the end of March, a collection of the rulings given in the first year of this Legislature was published in the form of a book entitled Is-Sedja Titkellem.

This publication is the first of its kind and was distributed to all the Members of Parliament. It will also be available in the Parliament’s library.

This first publication was also presented to the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, and to the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Simon Busuttil, as leaders of their respective parliamentary groups.

6.2 Election of the

In terms of Article 48 of the Constitution of Malta, the President of Malta is appointed by way of resolution of the House of Representatives and in terms of Article 50, a person so appointed shall take the oath of office before the House. Following the unanimous adoption by the House of the motion calling for the nomination of Ms Coleiro Preca as President of the Republic, the official swearing-in ceremony was held at a special sitting of the House held in the Throne Room of the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta on 4 April 2014.

6.3 Ekoskola

The House of Representatives hosted the 10th EkoSkola Parliamentary session on 29 May. The EkoSkola Parliamentary Session is an annual event bringing together young policy makers, face to face with the country’s policy makers in a parliamentary debate, discussing ways of improving the quality of life at school and in the country in general.

The sitting was chaired by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia, and was attended by 76 students from 38 schools, together with the participation of a number of Members of Parliament from both sides of the House. This year’s theme, as a follow up of the 3rd Young People’s Environmental Summit held on 28 March 2014 in Malta, was sustainable development focusing on the issues of waste, water, energy, the family and education.

The motion presented at the beginning of the session read ‘We are always ready to commit ourselves because we believe that if we have a better environment, our health will be better. And if our health is better, we can enjoy a happier life and a healthier society’.

20 Members of Parliament from both sides of the House participated in this event, including the Prime Minister, Hon. Joseph Muscat, and the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Simon Busuttil.

6.4 NSTF Mini European Assembly

On 25 April, the 24th annual session of the NSTF Mini European Assembly (MEA) was held in the parliamentary Chamber with the participation of around 40 young students. The MEA is a simulation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe where students, in teams of 5 members, represent different European countries and discuss topics of European relevance through the political perspective of the European country they represent. Participants are students attending post-secondary and first year tertiary educational institutions in Malta and .

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The theme of this year’s session was ‘Creative Europe. Are EU programmes in culture and arts contributing to cultural diversity and the promotion of the arts within the member states?’ Speaker Anġlu Farrugia presided over this plenary session and also made the opening address, followed by an address by the special guest of the NSTF organizers Vice President of the European Parliament Jacek Protasiewicz. At the end of the session, the Speaker presented the Best Speaker’s Award to Francesca Zarb.

6.5 Sette Giugno

Each year the House of Representatives commemorates the Sette Giugno events which are considered to have been one of the first steps in the political process towards Malta’s independence from Britain and have contributed significantly to Malta’s parliamentary development. The victims of the uprisings of 7 June 1919 are commemorated in a ceremony held at the foot of the Sette Giugno monument which is located at the Hastings Gardens in Valletta. During the ceremony the Speaker of the House, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition lay wreaths at the foot of the monument and the Speaker delivers a speech on the reinforcement of this parliamentary development. In this year’s speech on 6 June, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia spoke about the political situation that prevailed at the time of the riots of the Sette Giugno, and about how these events were also linked to the language issue in Malta. These same events led to the granting of the 1921 Amery-Milner Constitution.

The Speaker also spoke about the work done by a Select Committee of the House established to make recommendations on the setting up of an Office and a Standing Committee on standards, ethics and proper behaviour in public life. As a result of the work of this Committee, the First Reading of a Bill on Standards in Public Life was moved by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Louis Grech on 20 May, and was seconded by Opposition Member Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech. In his address, the Speaker also referred to the work done by an internal parliamentary commission on the administrative autonomy of the Maltese Parliament and to a number of initiatives intended to make the work of the House more accessible to the public.

6.6 Europe Day

On 12 May, for the first time, the House of Representatives marked the occasion of Europe Day which is celebrated on 9 May. The House Business Committee agreed to dedicate a part of the first sitting after this date to a short speech from both sides of the House.

Hon. Marthese Portelli, Opposition spokesperson for European affairs, spoke about the conditions prevailing in the 1950s that led to the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community, which since then has evolved into the European Union of 28 Member States that we are familiar with today – a continent of peace, freedom, free trade and solidarity. Hon. Portelli also spoke about the various European funds, including how Malta has benefited from them over the years. She concluded that Europe is not only the ideal of the forefathers who conceived this idea but it is the reality and the future of today’s young people.

Speaking on behalf of the Government side, Hon. Ian Borg, Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds and the EU Presidency 2017, spoke about the need not only to recall the history of the European Union, but also to look ahead at its future. He added that in its legislative programme, the European Union must move ahead within the limits of subsidiarity and proportionality. In conclusion Hon. Borg spoke about Malta’s Presidency of the Council in 2017, which will be a first for Malta, and should serve as an opportunity for all the to unite and assert their ownership of Europe.

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6.7 Youth Parliament

On 18 September, the Maltese Parliament hosted the 2014 edition of the Youth Parliament, which has become an annual event in the parliamentary calendar. This event is organised by the Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ (KNŻ) and brings together youths to form a policy on particular topics. These policies are then discussed and voted on in a simulated parliamentary sitting.

As in previous years, the event was divided into two parts: the first part involving young people aged between 14 and 17 and the second part involving young people between the ages of 19 and 35.

The participants in the first session discussed motions on school examinations and streaming, measures intended to increase tourist arrivals in Malta and climate change. The participants in the second session discussed innovative methods for a more efficient transport system and drug decriminalisation.

This year’s session was chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ċensu Galea, and was attended by a number of MPs from both sides of the House.

6.8 Science in the House

Science in the House has also become an annual event organised by the Science in the City Consortium and hosted by the Maltese Parliament in its precincts. Science in the House is the opening event of the prestigious science festival Science in the City, European Researchers’ Night, 2014. The event celebrates and acknowledges the achievements of Maltese research scientists, academics and engineers. Science in the House serves as a forum for networking between Maltese research scientists, the House of Representatives and Members of Parliament.

The format of the 2014 edition of Science in the House was a poster exhibition by researchers showcasing research conducted at the University of Malta, and elsewhere in Malta, for informal discussion with Members of Parliament. The opening ceremony was held in one of the parliamentary committee rooms on 25 September and was addressed by Deputy Speaker Hon. Ċensu Galea, Government Whip Hon. Carmelo Abela, University Rector Prof. Juanito Camilleri and Science in the City Lead Coordinator Prof. Alex Felice.

6.9 Notte Bianca

As in previous years, Parliament once again opened its doors to the public as part of the Notte Bianca activities organised in Valletta. On 4 October, members of the public, Maltese and foreigners alike, had the opportunity to tour the principal parliamentary chambers. After visiting the President’s chambers, visitors to the Palace viewed the committee rooms and the parliamentary Chamber where they had the opportunity to sit for a few moments in the Speaker’s chair and imagine what a typical parliamentary sitting would be like. Parliamentary staff was on site in order to answer people’s questions and provide information on the work carried out by Parliament.

As in previous years, thousands of people visited the parliamentary chambers on this occasion, being the only time these rooms are open to the public for viewing.

6.10 Launch of the report by the Working Group on Diabetes

On 24 October Hon. Godfrey Farrugia, Chairman of the parliamentary working group on diabetes, and Hon. Simon Busuttil, Leader of the Opposition, presented the report Health

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Choices to Speaker Anġlu Farrugia. The report describes the recommendations put forward by the 11 Members of Parliament from both sides of the House making up this working group. The aim of these recommendations is to explore ways in which the lives of those persons suffering from diabetes can be improved. Speaker Anġlu Farrugia praised the efforts of the working group which collectively addressed a problem that affects over 30,000 people in Malta and thousands of others who are still undiagnosed.

6.11 Conference on Women’s Political Participation in Malta

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia addressed the opening session of the Conference on Women’s Participation in Politics in Malta which was organised in the parliamentary committee room on 3 November, co-organised by the House of Representatives and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the National Commissioner for the Promotion of Equality and the National Council of Women. In the opening address Speaker Farrugia said that the participation of women in politics is a key indicator of the quality of democratic culture. He also said that gender sensitive Parliaments respond to the needs and interests of both men and women and are thus central to good parliamentary governance.

The Conference was also addressed by Hon. Helena Dalli, Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, Ms Renee Laiviera, National Commissioner for the Promotion of Equality and Dr Nathalie Tagwerker, Deputy Head of ODIHR’s Democratisation Department.

6.12 Launch of the book ‘Nidħqu bina nfusna – politika bi tbissima’

On 14 November former Member and former EU Commissioner Tonio Borg launched his new book Nidħqu bina nfusna – politika bi tbissima (Laughing at ourselves – Politics with a smile) a collection of more than 100 humorous anecdotes of present and former Members from their political life. The book launch was held in the Tapestry Chamber in the Palace under the auspices of the Speaker of the House, who together with the author of the book and Judge Emeritus Giovanni Bonello introduced the book to the guests at this occasion.

6.13 Parliament for Persons with Disabilities

On Wednesday, 10 December, the 2014 session of the Parliament of Persons with Disability was opened by the Deputy Speaker Hon. Ċensu Galea in the parliamentary committee room. The theme of this year’s session was ‘My Decision, My Future’. Speeches were made by Mr Oliver Scicluna, Chairman of the Commission Persons with Disability, by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Simon Busuttil, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing, Hon. Justyne Caruana and the Opposition spokesman on Employment and Rights of Persons with Disability, Hon. Stephen Spiteri. Persons with disability who participated in the session had the opportunity to take part in the discussion. The closing speech of the activity was delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Louis Grech.

This activity was supported by the Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013) of the European Union.

6.14 Exchange of New Year’s Greetings

In addition to the traditional exchange of New Year’s greetings at the offices of the President, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and with the eccelsiastical authorities, this year the Speaker of the House, Hon. Anġlu Farrugia, together with Deputy Speaker Hon. Ċensu Galea and the Deputy Whips Hon. Deborah Schembri and Hon. Frederick Azzopardi,

66 welcomed representatives of the constituted bodies, civil society and the general public on 31 December.

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7. OBITUARIES

During 2014 the House expressed its grief:

 on 27 January at the death of Mr Wistin Abela, former , who passed away on 20 January;  on 15 July at the death of Mr Francis Bezzina Wettinger, former Member of Parliament, who passed away on 5 July; and  on 13 October at the death of Dr Alexander Cachia Zammit, former Member of Parliament, who passed away on 30 July.

On 1 November 2005, in a resolution co-sponsored by 104 Member States, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 27 January as Holocaust Remembrance Day. On 27 January, the House marked the events of the Holocaust by observing a minute of silence after speeches made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. George Vella and by Hon. Mario de Marco.

The House also observed a minute of silence to remember the victims of the crash of Flight MH17 of Malaysia Airlines on 17 July flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The Speaker of the House also sent a letter of condolence to the Speaker of the Dutch Senate since one of the passengers who lost their lives in this tragedy, Mr Willem Witteveen, was a member of the Dutch Senate.

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MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 12th Legislature

as on 31 December 2014

Speaker of the House of Representatives: Hon. Anġlu Farrugia

Partit Laburista (Government) Partit Nazzjonalista (Opposition)

Honourable Honourable

Abela Carmelo Agius David Agius Chris Arrigo Robert Agius Decelis Anthony Azzopardi Frederick Bartolo Evarist Azzopardi Jason Bonnici Owen Bezzina Toni Borg Ian Bonnici Charlò Brincat Leo Borg Antoine Buhagiar Charles Busuttil Simon Buontempo Stefan Buttigieg Claudette Busuttil Luciano Callus Ryan Cardona Chris Cassar Joe Caruana Justyne Cutajar Robert Dalli Helena de Marco Mario Debattista Deo Debono Grech Joe Debono Kristy Falzon Michael Fenech Albert Farrugia Godfrey Fenech Tonio Farrugia Joseph Fenech Adami Beppe Farrugia Marlene Galea Ċensu Farrugia Michael Galea Mario Fearne Chris Gonzi Michael Galdes Roderick Grech Claudio Grech Etienne Mifsud Bonnici Carmelo Grech Louis Mifsud Bonnici Paula Herrera José Portelli Marthese Mallia Emanuel Puli Clyde Mangion Charles Pullicino George Mercieca Franco Said Chris Mizzi Joe Spiteri Stephen Mizzi Konrad Zammit Dimech Francis Muscat Joseph Parnis Silvio Refalo Anton Sammut Joseph M. Schembri Deborah Schembri Silvio Scicluna Edward Vella George Zammit Lewis Edward

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