In a reply given to Labour MP Chris Agius, Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina outlined who qualifies for the energy benefit announced in the budget. The details regarding how people can apply for these benefits will be announced later on, the minister said.

The beneficiaries are:

• people receiving unemployment benefit, social assistance, old age pension or special benefits, qualify automatically; and

• people receiving contributory pension, widow or invalidity pensions, must satisfy a means test.

Families can qualify on a humanitarian basis as long as there is a person within that family who suffers from an illness or a condition that is certifiably in need of excessive consumption of water or electricity, and as long as the total revenue of that family does not exceed Lm13,270 a year.

Trucks damage Cottonera waterfront paving

The recently laid pavement at the Cottonera waterfront has been damaged due to the irresponsibility of some truck drivers who drove on these paving stones, Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett told Mr Agius.

The minister announced that to impede this from happening again, planters and railings have been placed at strategic points.

In another reply to Mr Agius, Mr Mugliett said that only the sole resident of Fort St Angelo, the knights, and vehicles that offer some sort of service and a small amount of consortium employees can now enter Fort St Angelo and park there. There may be events which include the issuing of a special pass for people to access the fort, the minister added. There are also plans to improve Xatt ir-Risq and offer more organised and free parking there.

Under house arrest

There are 48 persons on house arrest on court orders, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg told Labour MP Adrian Vassallo.

319 persons reported missing

No fewer than 319 persons were reported missing last year but 99 per cent of them returned or were found by the police. In the majority of cases, they would have left home due to family problems, Dr Borg told Dr Vassallo. The age of the missing persons varied from two years to 85 years of age. 157 were males and 162 were females. 81 were foreigners.

39 paedophile charges

A total of 39 persons were arraigned last year on paedophile charges, Dr Borg told Dr Vassallo. Eleven had their cases decided: three were sent to jail, seven given a suspended sentence and one had the charges against him declared exhausted. The other cases are still sub judice.