Godfrey Farrugia has been told by the chairperson of Parliament’s health committee that a Bill to decriminalise abortion cannot be discussed at this stage.

Farrugia had written to Labour MP Silvio Grixti requesting that the Bill presented by Marlene Farrugia last week be discussed at the next meeting of the health committee.

Farrugia wrote that a holistic patient-centric health care delivery system is one the objectives of which are quality health care and accessibility in real time, backed by the necessary resources and supported by patients’ rights. As such, the issue should be discussed at the next sitting.

In reply, Grixti told Farrugia that, while this was an important subject, the Private Member’s Bill had only been filed on Wednesday.  The motion had now been filed in the motion book by the Clerk of the House and the ‘usual’ procedure would be followed. For this reason, it cannot be placed on the agenda of the Health Committee.

Godfrey Farrugia has also asked the Social Affairs Committee to discuss the Bill.