Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina said that the rapid changes occurring in society today made it incumbent on all to draw up policies based on social research.

She was speaking at the opening of a public seminar about research into the family, organised by the National Family Commission.

The seminar is part of the commission’s plan for 2007, which includes distribution of the new research about the family and a public consultation which should lead to a national policy about the family.

Ms Cristina said they had to have a united family because that society which put the family at its centre could not but progress. She said that because of the research and consultation which the commission had conducted, the commission could consider its priorities so it would have a clear picture on what a national family policy should be based.

The commission is to present to the government a draft national policy about the family in May.

Commission chairman Sandro Spiteri said the research will yield new information about the situation of the Maltese family.