When will the McGrail Inquiry report be published? Government & Opposition continue exchanges

The Opposition is calling for the timetable for the publication of the McGrail Inquiry report to be set, and for the report to be published without delay.

For its part, Number Six says it's already set out in detail the process it's following for the "timely and proper" publication of the inquiry report.

The GSD says the Government should state when precisely it will provide an embargoed copy to the Leader of the Opposition, claiming the Government’s last press statement failed to provide such details.

Opposition Leader Keith Azopardi says the Government has now had the report for the better part of two weeks.

So far, the GSD claims, the Government has been vague on the precise timetable, saying a couple of weeks ago that the report would be published within “weeks” and then subsequently “before Christmas".

The GSD points out this is an Inquiry and report that raise big public interest issues. The Government, it says, should not delay any longer or seek to bury the report over Christmas.

However, the Government says the publication process is designed to ensure that all natural justice considerations are complied with, and that the report is published as soon as possible.

It says it's now working through those steps, and that once they are completed, the report will be published in full.