Labour MP Leo Brincat said that on the eve of the opening of Mater Dei hospital, the Prime Minister was still refusing to give details about the information technology systems for the hospital.

The IT systems were originally covered by a tender which was withdrawn after claims of abuses and leaking of confidential information. On three occasions, Mr Brincat said, the Prime Minister had failed to supply information in parliament to update the House about developments.

Mr Brincat said the Prime Minister had not confirmed whether or not the computer hardware for the systems had been bought by direct order and if yes, who from and at what price. Neither had the Prime Minister given information about the systems software.

He said it would be interesting to know if Minister Austin Gatt’s head of secretariat was in some way involved in the tendering process that had been withdrawn, and if he had some technical role in decisions which may have been taken relating to hardware and software for the hospital.