S.L. const.2 Art. 158Members on leave of absence.

A member shall be excused from service in the House or on any committee thereof so long as he has leave of absence from the

Speaker.

Members who are on business related to the House, the Parliamentary Group or on official party business, and Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries on Government business and Members of Parliament who accompany a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary on Government business, outside Malta shall be entered in the minutes of the House as being excused. It shall be the responsibility of the Whips to ensure that they inform the Speaker of those Members who are to be considered excused and for what reason.

The Minutes shall distinguish between Members who are abroad on Parliamentary, Government, Parliamentary Group or official party business. Members who are sick or are subject to an extraordinary circumstance shall be entered in the minutes of the House as excused, after producing evidence which will have been approved as such by the Speaker.