Prime Minister Robert Abela has pledged to extend free childcare to all children, irrespective of whether their parents work or not.

At a press conference this morning, Abela also said children’s allowance will increase by €90 a year for all five years of a future PL government, noting this means that parents currently receiving €450 will receive €900 by the end of the legislature.

The child bonus will increase from €400 to €500 and in-work benefits will increase by €200 a year till the end of the legislature.

Seventh-year students will receive a free laptop, the one-tablet-per-child scheme will be extended to secondary school, and students from low-income households will receive free internet and clothes.

Abela also promised to implement more changes to Malta’s IVF legislation to allow more couples with infertility problems to become parents without resorting to treatment overseas.

However, he didn’t go into detail and dodged a question by Lovin Malta on whether this will include the legalisation of preimplantation genetic testing (PGD) and surrogacy.

“Discussion on surrogacy will be held separately,” he said. “I understand this impacts a smaller number of couples and we’re not ignoring their realities, but we must also be careful not to allow womb-renting.”