At least 25 Maltese locked up abroad

There are at least 25 Maltese nationals serving prison sentences abroad, parliament was told.  Foreign Minister George Vella told Godfrey Farrugia (PL) that 21 are incarcerated in Australia, and one each in Libya, the UK, Tunisia and Brazil. Six others – five in Australia and one in Libya – are also waiting to be processed. Dr Vella made it clear that the 25 were those who had asked for help from Malta's foreign missions. Therefore, he said, the number could be higher. Working with disability Family Minister Michael Farrugia told parliament that 692 persons with disability have started work and continued receiving their disability pension. Dr Farrugia was answering a question by Anthony Agius Decelis (PL). Hip replacements Some 146 hip replacements were carried out between March and December 2013, Health Minister Chris Fearne told shadow minister Claudette Buttigieg. None of these replacements led to any Ombudsman complaints or litigation procedures, he added. Mr Fearne also said that there had been a marked increase in knee replacement cases between January and October this year. Despite the increase, waiting times for orthopaedic consultations at Mater Dei Hospital had...

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