Another waste of taxpayers' money

In July 1948 Nye Bevan opened the first NHS hospital. Its aim was to provide health care - preventative as well as curative.

He would be turning in his grave to learn that between 2005 and 2006 the NHS performed two dozen taxpayer-funded hymen replacement operations, official figures revealed.

Labour MP Ann Cryer said: "We have to also ask whether our National Health Service should be providing this sort of facility. I don't think it should be available on the NHS."

The Department of Health said "certain cosmetic procedures" are available on the NHS "to secure physical or psychological health".

The NHS was created to cure people of illnesses, not for people to have tattoos removed, sex changes or for women to have their fannies tightened.