The government's plans for foundation hospitals are set to be challenged by the House of Lords.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers will begin an attempt to make the flagship hospitals independent from health secretary John Reid's control.

They will use committee stage of the Health and Social Care bill to attempt to amend legislation that will create the controversial hospitals.

Under the bill, trusts that reach key government tests will be allowed to become independent from local control and gain extra resources.

They will also be able to set their own pay and conditions.

But peers led by Baroness Cumberlege and Lord Alderdice have called for the hospitals to be taken away from the health secretary.

They want to create the NHS Agency for England to run the hospitals independent of John Reid's control.

Debate began on Tuesday and a final vote is expected in around two weeks.

"We will not push the vote forward unless we are forced," said a Conservative spokesman.

Peers are also set for a showdown over controversial moves contained in the government's criminal justice legislation.