Opposition health spokesman Claudio Grech will be presenting a private member's bill to make the Mental Health Commissioner completely autonomous.

The commissioner is currently answerable to the health ministry.

The announcement was made during a news conference at the PN headquarters on the occasion of World Mental Health Day.

Mr Grech referred to the "strange" case of a 10-year-old boy who this year was admitted to the seclusion ward at Mount Carmel Hospital, and that of a man who was admitted to this psychiatric hospital after protesting in front of Castille.

While making it clear that he was not suggesting any ulterior motives behind these cases, he said it was in the best interest of patients sor their well-being to be safeguarded that the commissioner was fully independent.

Mr Grech noted that a similar proposal had already being made earlier this year by chief justice emeritus Vincent de Gaetano.

"We expect the government to support this Bill," the PN spokesman said.

Asked about government plans to exclude from the taxable income the premium paid for private health insurances, Mr Grech he said that the Opposition agreed in principle.

However, he said that prior to introducing such measure the insurance sector needed to be reformed to ensure that such policies gave a basic coverage to a wide range of health conditions.

The PN spokesman said he was concerned that policy holders might be victims of small print. Free healthcare must not be traded off for private health insurance, Mr Grech said.