A new independent board has been announced – specifically to evaluate the process of how severe disability benefits are being approved in Malta.

This comes in the wake of a medical benefits scandal that saw millions in taxpayer money apparently funnelled towards individuals in the hopes of getting them to vote for the Labour Party.

This new board will be independent from any police or government investigations.

This board, appointed by Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon and the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry, Mark Musù, will be presided over by Judge Emeritus Antonio Mizzi with Anthony Scicluna and Raymond Muscat as members.

The terms of reference of the board will be:

• to determine what led to the applications for Severe Disability Assistance from people who allegedly were not medically eligible, to be accepted;

• to establish whether there were administrative failures or irregularities in the verification process, including the medical evaluation;

• to examine whether the systems and procedures to submit, evaluate and verify the applications for this benefit are strong enough to ensure that the benefit is only given to those who really deserve it;

• to recommend as needed what measures should be taken so that the systems by which the applications are submitted, as well as the scrutiny and evaluation of the applications themselves, can be better strengthened if necessary. The board will be asked to submit its conclusions and recommendations to the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary within five months of their appointment, although it can ask for an extension.

The conclusions and recommendations of the board will then be made public.