Labour MP Marlene Farrugia has agreed with Nationalist MPs on the need for a discussion on the environment impact assessment of the new power station to be held during the parliamentary Environment Planning Committee.

But Dr Farrugia said that she will be asking for a ruling from the Speaker on the matter.

At the opening of tonight’s session, Opposition MPs said that the parliamentary committee was not being given the opportunity to discuss the (EIA) of the new power station.

Nationalist MPs George Pullicino and Ryan Callus both insisted that the committee had previously unanimously agreed to discuss the matter, but a decision by the House Business Committee yesterday for the debate to be held during a plenary session was a breach of that agreement.

The difference, Mr Pullicino said, was that in the plenary session, the debate would only involve MPs, whereas in the committee, experts could be summoned and questioned.

Government MPs replied that there was no need for the committee to discuss the EIA when the subject is also being discussed at Mepa. Labour whip Carmelo Abela said such a discussion was not within the remit of the committee. Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia said the same procedure would be followed as was done in the BWSC case under the former government.

Dr Farrugia, who chairs the committee, said that ever since her appointment, she had stressed that its importance lay in it being able to discuss national issues which had an impact on the environment. It could not restrict itself to matters presented to it by the government, as happened in the past.

She said she would refer to the Speaker whether the House Business Committee could decide what this committee discussed and what his direction now was.