My response to the Parliamentay Question to which the Deputy refers was made on the basis of information available on the website of the Maltese Financial Services Authority (MFSA) website at http://www.mfsa.com.mt/pages/announcements.aspx?id=2 on 4 June 2014.
This public website contains a list of notices, including one notice dated 27 January 2014 (ref. 07-14) with the title Notice of cessation of business Setanta Insurance Company Limited (attached). The response to Parliamentary Question 42 of 4 June 2014 was based on that notice, which the Deputy will note does not state that it would be business as usual for claims settlement.
Following on from the Deputy's query about a discrepancy, my officials have contacted MFSA directly and they have informed the Department as follows: 'The MFSA's notice of the 27 January 2014 with the link to the original Q&A remained on the Authority's website until late afternoon 16 April 2014 when the link to the old Q&A was deactivated. Same day i.e. 16 April an 'intermediary' notice (No 30/2014) was issued. A new Notice (33/2014) with the link to the updated Q&A was uploaded in the afternoon of the 17 April 2014.'
The Deputy will appreciate that it falls outside my remit to keep a record of the movement of notices, including 'intermediary' notices published and subsequently removed by the MFSA as that Authority is not accountable to me as Minister for Finance. Furthermore, having reviewed the matter, it is clear that the information published by the MFSA in January 2014 reflected the position at that time and, once updated information became available, the notice was changed.
