Labour MP and whip Joe Mizzi yesterday insisted that he and other MPs should be provided with a record of a committee meeting which was held behind closed doors.

Mr Mizzi was referring to last week’s sitting of the House’s Social Affairs Committee which, having held sittings on IVF and related issues for seven months, has now begun to meet behind closed doors in order to draw up its report.

Apparently, when Mr Mizzi asked for a copy of the transcript, he was informed that none existed.

Mr Mizzi pointed out to the committee, and the government whip Mario Galea agreed with him on this point, that any MP can sit in on any meeting of any committee.

The Leader of the House Tonio Borg said that Mr Mizzi, and any other MP, could listen to a digital recording of the committee meeting. Dr Tonio Borg even offered to send Mr Mizzi the recording of the committee meeting as an attachment via email since transcripts can go astray.

Dissatisfied, Mr Mizzi asked the Speaker for a ruling as to whether any MP had the right to know what took place in any committee meeting.

The Speaker will deliver judgement at a later stage.