Nationalist MP Adrian Delia has accused Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia of disrespecting Parliament by not entering the chamber to respond to parliamentary questions when, in fact, he was in the building.

On Tuesday, parliamentary question time descended into chaos. It was Farrugia’s turn to reply to PQs but Culture Minister Owen Bonnici replaced him. Halfway through the session, Opposition members said Farrugia was in the building but had not turned up in the chamber. PN whip Robert Cutajar demanded a ruling from the Speaker after MP Ryan Callus said he had been in the lift with Farrugia together with another PN MP, Mario de Marco.

In a post on Facebook Wednesday, Delia said it is a minister’s duty to be present for question time when it is his turn. “Bonnici informed the Speaker that you (Farrugia) had been caught up in other work and started to reply to the questions in your stead.

“At 4.15pm, our colleagues informed the Speaker that you were in the building but had avoided coming to the chamber to answer,” Delia said.

This is a serious shortcoming, Delia insisted, accusing the minister of showing disrespect to the House and the people who elect their representatives.

The people have a right for an answer and political responsibility should be shouldered, Delia said.