TheGovernment has replied to the statement from the Leader of the Opposition on provision to him of an advance copy of the McGrail Inquiry Report. 

A statement continued: “There has been no delay in providing a copy of the Report to Mr Azopardi. There appears to be some misunderstanding by him of this matter. He is not in the same position as those to whom an advance copy has been provided (including certain elements of the press) by agreement with the Chairman. Indeed, he does not even feature in that agreement. 

“The Government has agreed to provide Mr Azopardi with an advanced copy of the report in keeping with the practice in the United Kingdom for laying of Inquiry Reports in Parliament, which provides such reports with LESS than 24 hours advance copy. Here Mr Azopardi will have MORE time than is the case in the United Kingdom as he will get a full 24 hours at least. 

“The publication of this Report will not be by laying in Parliament and, therefore, Mr Azopardi has no legitimate or other right to expect an advance copy, but the Government is nonetheless going to give him an advance copy ahead of publication. 

“As publication is now delayed, provision of the advance copy to Mr Azopardi will also be delayed. 

“It is nonetheless increasingly clear that Mr Azopardi sees the Report, despite not yet having had sight of it, as no more than another political weapon to use against the Government and wants to get his hands on it only for that purpose, which is not the objective of the taxpayer having spent in excess of £8m in the process of the Inquiry.”