The health secretary Andrew Lansley clashed with members of the Health Select Committee on 15 December over the timing of his reforms to the NHS and his inability to put a price tag on how much they will cost.

During the committee’s last evidence gathering hearing into commissioning, Andrew George, Liberal Democrat for St Ives, pointed out that parliament would be taking its decision on the white paper, Liberating the NHS—widely dubbed “The Lansley challenge”—after many of the proposals were already in place.

“It will be a train that has already left the station and is way down the track before parliament can begin expressing a view on it,” he said.

Mr Lansley replied, “The criticism would be fine if this were not an …