Ministers to seize control of the NHS in huge shake-up including powers to put fluoride in water, enforce junk food health warnings and tackle obesity

 'How we make sure that the NHS continues to be held accountable for these huge sums of public money is something that, I am sure, people will want to ask,' he said.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, told City AM: 'Ministers need to explain why reorganisation is the pressing priority when 190,000 people are waiting more than 12 months for treatment, and cancer survival rates need to be radically improved.' 

The plans will be complemented with separate measures to restrict junk food advertising and putting calorie labels on alcohol.

It could also give Government the power to put flouride in water to help prevent tooth decay, something only councils were able to do in the past.