Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said today that as an independent MP he would be taking steps to prevent a repetition of situations similar to the one involving the acquisition of St Philip's Hospital, where no reference was made to Parliament.

Speaking on One TV's breakfast show, he said that Health Minister Joseph Cassar should resign for the way how, on Saturday afternoon, during the recording of Dissett, he said that the Cabinet would discuss the way forward for the acquisition of St Philip's Hospital and then, just four hours later and before Cabinet met, the government said the acquisition would go ahead.

This episode showed how the minister had been embarrassed and it led one to question who was taking such decisions, Dr Pullicino Orlando said. Did this mean that this matter was not even discussed in Cabinet?

Nationalist MP Franco Debono last week presented a motion in parliament calling for the acquisition process to be halted until it was reviewed by the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts Committee. His position was backed by the Opposition and Dr Pullicino Orlando.

Dr Pullicino Orlando is insisting that St Luke's Hospital would have been a cheaper and better option for use as a rehabilitation hospital.

He said he would, as a coalition MP, take further action over this issue but did not give details.

He also criticised the fact that The Times journalists had not been granted prompt access to St Philip's Hospital last week to see the state of the hospital.