A series of PQs put forward by PN MP Marthese Portelli has led to the disclosure of the number of air tickets purchased from Untours, the General Workers' Union travel agency, by a number of ministries.

Dr Portelli asked all Ministers, including the Prime Minister, to disclose the number of tickets bought from Untours over the last 20 months - between March 2013 and October 2014 - as well as the cost of each ticket.

From the replies given, it emerges that Untours has pocketed €133,779.12, thanks to eight Ministries out of the total of 15. 

The Foreign Affairs Ministry tops the list with expenditure of €62,786.34, followed by the Gozo Ministry with €27,615.00 and the Transport Ministry with €22,008.

The Prime Minister, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, Home Affairs Minister Emmanuel Mallia and Justice Minister Owen Bonnici replied that the information being requested is still being collated and therefore they have yet to disclose the number of tickets bought - and their cost, whereas the replies given by Environment Minister Leo Brincat, Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli and Energy and Health Minister Konrad Mizzi require further clarification.

Untours did not cash in much from Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech's Ministry since it spent the least, purchasing only one ticket for €540.