House of Representatives of Malta

Malta

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Malta

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The House of Representatives (Kamra tad-Deputati) is the unicameral legislature of Malta. Formally, the Parliament of Malta consists of the President of Malta and the House of Representatives.

The House currently has 69 members, elected for a five year term in thirteen five-seat electoral districts with a possibility of rewarding bonus members for the popular largest party which doesn't succeed in getting absolute majority of seats. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House. The President of the Republic is elected for a five year term by the House. Malta uses single transferable vote to elect its MPs and local councillors. Even though transferrable preferences should help third parties since independence the Maltese electorate has consistently voted in two dominant political parties and effectively created a two party system.

Parliament Building

The Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta is currently housing the House of Representatives of Malta.

During the 11th Legislature since Independence, the renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano was commissioned to give a new look to the entrance of the de facto capital city Valletta.

The government's original proposal to build Parliament on the site of the former opera house site. This was shelved after the footprint was deemed too small. Instead the new Parliament building will be built in Freedom Square. The project is expected to start early in 2010 to be completed by the end of the current Parliamentary term, that is not later than 2013.^[1]

Standing Committees

In 1995, as a result of a series of intensive discussions between the parliamentary groups and the Speaker of the House, the Standing Orders of the House were amended so as to set up a number of Parliamentary Committees. The objective was that of increasing efficiency in the conduct of parliamentary work as well as that of providing additional fora for the carrying out of Parliament's scrutiny functions.

The Standing Orders make provision for six Standing Committees:

• 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 on Consideration of Bills

Latest elections

Current Members of 11th Legislature since independence

• Speaker of the House - Louis Galea
• Deputy Speaker of the House - Carmelo Abela

For the Government: Partit Nazzjonalista

Cabinet

• Prime Minister of Malta (Prim Ministru ta' Malta)- Lawrence Gonzi

• Deputy Prime Minister of Malta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Leader of the House of Representatives (Viċi Prim Ministru, Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin u Kap tal-Kamra tad-Deputati) - Tonio Borg
• Minister for Gozo (Ministru għal Għawdex)- Giovanna Debono
• Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications (Ministru għall-Infrastruttura, Trasport u Komunikazzjoni)- Austin Gatt
• Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs (Ministru għar-Riżorsi u Affarijiet Rurali)- George Pullicino
• Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (Ministru għall-Edukazzjoni, Kultura, Żgħażagħ u Sport)- Dolores Cristina
• Minister for Social Policy (Ministru għall-Affarijiet Soċjali) - John Dalli
• Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investments (Ministru tal-Finanzi, Ekonomija u Investiment) - Tonio Fenech
• Minister of Justice and Home Affairs (Ministru tal-Ġustizzja u l-Intern) - Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici

Parliamentary Secretaries

• Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism (Segretarju Parlamentari għat-Turiżmu) - Mario de Marco
• Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information (Segretarju Parlamentari għad-Djalogu Pubbliku u l-Informazzjoni)- Chris Said
• Parliamentary Secretary for Health (Segretarju Parlamentari għas-Saħħa) - Joe Cassar
• Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care (Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Anzjani u l-Kura fil-Kommunità) - Mario Galea
• Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport (Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ u Sport) - Clyde Puli
• Parliamentary Secretary for Revenues and Land (Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Erarju u l-Artijiet) - Jason Azzopardi

Back Benchers

• Francis Zammit Dimech - Chairman Consideration of Bills Standing Committee
• Ċensu Galea
• Ninu Zammit
• Louis Deguara
• Jesmond Mugliett
• Michael Frendo - Chairman Foreign and European Affairs Standing Committee
• Edwin Vassallo - Chairman Social Affairs Standing Committee
• Frans Agius
• Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando
• Frederick Azzopardi - Deputy Whip for the Government
• Robert Arrigo
• David Agius - Whip for the Government
• Joseph Falzon - Deputy Whip for the Government
• Michael Gonzi
• Jean-Pierre Farrugia
• Franco Debono
• Beppe Fenech Adami
• Stephen Spiteri
• Philip Mifsud
• Charlò Bonnici

For the Opposition: Partit Laburista

• Joseph Muscat - Leader of the Opposition (Il-Kap tal-Oppozzizzjoni)
• Angelo Farrugia - Shadow Minister for work, workers rights and parliamentary affairs (Il-Kelliem għax-Xogħol, Drittijiet tal-Ħaddiema u Affarijiet Parlamentari).
• Charles Mangion - Shadow Minister for Finance (Il-Kelliem għall-Finanzi).
• Leo Brincat - Shadow Minister for Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change (Il-Kelliem għall-Ambjent, l-Iżvilupp Sostenibli u l-Bidla fil-Klima)
• Helena Dalli - Shadow Minister for Public Services and Public Investment (Il-Kelliema għas-Servizzi Pubbliċi u l-Investiment Pubbliku)
• Michael Falzon - Shadow Minister for Local Security (Il-Kelliem għas-Sigurtà Lokali)
• Evarist Bartolo - Shadow Minister for Education and the Media (Il-Kelliem għall-Edukazzjoni u l-Midja)
• George Vella - Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs (Il-Kelliem għall-Affarijiet Barranin)
• Karmenu Vella - Chairman Co-ordination Shadow Cabinet
• Marie Louise Coleiro Preca - Shadow Minister for Tourism (Il-Kelliema għat-Turiżmu)
• Joe Debono Grech - Shadow Minister for Defence and harbours (Il-Kelliem għad-Difiża u l-Portijiet)
• Charles Buhagiar - Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Public Work (Il-Kelliem għall-Infrastruttura u x-Xogħlijiet Pubbliċi)
• Joe Mizzi - Shadow Minister for Transport and Resources and Whip for the Opposition (Il-Kelliem għat-Trasport u r-Riżorsi)
• Michael Farrugia - Shadow Minister for Social Policy (Il-Kelliem għall-Affarijiet Soċjali)
• Gavin Gulia - Shadow Minister for the Economy and the self employed (Il-Kelliem għall-Ekonomija u s-Self Employed)
• Anton Refalo - Shadow Minister for Gozo (Il-Kelliem għal Għawdex)
• Carmelo Abela - Shadow Minister for industry and foreign investment (Il-Kelliem għall-Industrija u l-Investiment Barrani)
• Chris Cardona - Shadow Minister for Competitivity, Communication and Technology (Il-Kelliem għall-Kompetività, l-Kommunikazzjoni u t-Teknoloġija
• Anthony Zammit - Spokesman for Health (Il-Kelliem għas-Saħħa)
• José A. Herrera - Shadow Minister for Justice (Il-Kelliem għall-Ġustizja)
• Stefan Buontempo - Shadow Minister for local government (Il-Kelliem għall-Gvern Lokali)
• Silvio Parnis - Shadow Minister for Consumer Protection (Il-Kelliem għall-Protezzjoni tal-Konsumatur)
• Joseph Mario Sammut - Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (Il-Kelliem għall-Bidja u s-Sajd)
• Adrian Vassallo - Spokesman for the rights of patients (Kelliem għad-Drittijiet tal-Pazjenti)
• Justyne Caruana - Spokesperson for family and equality (Kelliema għall-Familja u l-Ugwaljanza)
• Noel Farrugia - Spokesman for International Development (Kelliem għall-Iżvilupp Internazzjonali)
• Chris Agius - Spokesman for Sport (Kelliem għall-Isport)
• Roderick Galdes - Spokesman for Planning and Housing (Kelliem għall-Ippjanar u d-Djar)
• Luciano Busuttil - Spokesman for European relationship (Kelliem għar-Relazzjonijiet Ewropej)
• Marlene Pullicino - Spokesperson for Utilities (Kelliema għall-Utilitajiet)
• Gino Cauchi - Spokesman for Civil Society and minority group rights (Kelliem għas-Soċjetà Ċivili u d-Drittijiet tal-Gruppi Minuri)
• Anthony Agius Decelis - Spokesman for Generational Solidarity (Kelliem għas-Solidarjetà Ġenerazzjonali)
• Owen Bonnici - Spokesman for Youths and Culture (Kelliem għaż-Żgħażagħ u l-Kultura)
• Alfred Sant - Former Leader of Opposition (l-Eks-Kap tal-Oppozzizzjoni)

Notes

• Labour MP Joseph Cuschieri resigned his parliamentary post to make way for the co-option of Labour leader Joseph Muscat.
• Shadow Minister for Health Karl Chircop passed away on October 12, 2008^[2]. His vacated seat was filled through a casual election won by Gino Cauchi.

Former Legislations of the Republic of Malta

• 1st Legislation since Independence
• 2nd Legislation since Independence
• 3rd Legislation since Independence
• 4th Legislation since Independence
• 5th Legislation since Independence
• 6th Legislation since Independence
• 7th Legislation since Independence
• 8th Legislation since Independence
• 9th Legislation since Independence
• 10th Legislation since Independence

References

External links

• Maltese parliament website

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