Retired Judge and former PL MP Philip Sciberras – who is leading the Mater Dei Hospital concrete independent inquiries - earns €2,330 annually as chairman of the St Vincent de Paul elderly residence consultative board.

Although the amount the former judge earns as chairman is not a significant one, the fact that he is on the public payroll while being tasked to lead independent inquiries may constitute a conflict of interest.

This newsroom sent several questions to Family Minister Michael Farrugia’s ministry asking how much the retired judge earned as chairman of the board but our questions remained unanswered. The only questions which had been answered were related to the fact that Judge Sciberras is the chairman of the SVPR board.

But the ministry chose to provide the information to PN MP Mario Galea, who asked a parliamentary question for the ministry to name the individuals who sit on the board and the salary they earn in return for their services.

The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that Judge Sciberras was on the public payroll. The other members of the SVPR board are former General Workers’ Union deputy secretary general Gaetano Mercieca, also known as Gejtu Mercieca, vice-chairperson Dr Marcon Ali Sarfraz, Dr Josianne Cutajar, Dr Gunther Abela, architect Chris Grech, and Joe Galea.