Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi insisted that the eternal flames at the Floriana War Memorial had never been kept burning on a 24-hour basis, even under the previous administration.

In a reply to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Chris Agius, Mr Mizzi said that the flames were being switched off between midnight and 6am.

The minister had courted controversy when the decision was taken, last March, to keep the flames lit for just 12 hours every day.

Originally, the flames were being lit between 6pm and 6am, but subsequently, the ministry opted to review its decision and keep them lit between 10am and 10pm, likely to ensure that they are seen lit by most people who travel to and from Valletta.

The criticism the ministry’s decision had attracted, however, appears to be based on the assumption that the flames were kept burning for 24 hours a day – with critics often pointing out the absurdity of “part-time” eternal flames.

But this assumption had never been challenged by the government, until now.

The decision to reduce the eternal flames’ hours was done to cut costs, and Mr Mizzi also explained the savings made in his reply to the parliamentary question.

He noted that under the previous administration, the LPG to keep the flames burning was being supplied by Easy Gas, and that on average, 903.26 litres were being used every week.

The new government changed suppliers, and LiquiGas is now supplying an average of 592 litres of LPG a week.

This, the minister explained, led to weekly savings of around €183.

The torches themselves are the work of sculptor Mariorick Mifsud, and Mr Mizzi explained that they were commissioned through a direct order of €28,990 which was issued by the government on 17 November, 2011.