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The Deputy Majority Leader, John Tia, has dismissed claims that President John Mills erred in law in his handling of the payment of gratuity to MPs who served in the fourth Parliament of the fourth Republic. The President has been variously lambasted for ordering a review of the Chinery-Hessey Committee II Report, which recommended hefty retirement packages for former President John Kufuor and Ministers who served under him. President Mills has also been widely criticized for reviewing the package for MPs who served in the fourth Parliament of the fourth republic. The President has ordered that every formed MP be paid six months� salary for each year of service, as gratuity in line with the recommendations of the Ishmael Yamson Committee Report. Some beneficiaries have already confirmed receipt of their gratuity, but others like Mr John Apkaribo Ndebugre, former MP for Zebilla, say they intend to challenge the President�s order in court, arguing the package should have been eight months� salary for each year of service. In an interview with newsmen in Accra, Mr Tia said that such threats are baseless and that this is not a new phenomenon. �This is not new, when former President Rawlings left office, he waited for eeveral years before he was paid and, he, also had to pay his staff so it not strange. With the confusion that erupted, it is only natural that this delay would come�what has been recommended by Ishmael Yamson is for both the Executive and Parliament �I am not aware that the President says he won�t pay the members of the executives, there may be a delay but it is a natural occurrence,� he said. Parliament finally approved the payment of the end of service benefits to MPs after several months under review on Monday December 21. The payment of gratuity for parliamentarians and other government officials including that of the Executive was subjected to months of debate following an outcry from the public.