W[1]-hardness of M-EPVCB parameterized by the degree deficit

Let $G=(V,E)$ be the graph in an instance of M-EPVCB, and let $\Delta(G)$ denote its maximum degree. The degree-deficit hardness conjecture. M-EPVCB is W[1]-hard with respect to the parameter $|V|-\Delta(G)$. The paper presents this as a suspected strengthening of its discussion of the parameter $\Delta(G)$; no resolution is given in the supplied source.