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The government has defeated a Labour motion demanding that the findings of a risk assessment on NHS reforms be made public.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley won the support of 53 MPs on Wednesday who voted against the Labour motion demanding the Department of Health to release the assessment on the government’s Health and Social Care Bill.

In November 2011, the information commissioner ruled that the document should be published because of "very strong public interest" in the information due to the extensive shake up that the reforms would cause.

But Lansley’s contention was that if the document were to be released, civil servants and ministers would be afraid to discuss the advantages and drawbacks of different policies going forward.

He told MPs that he might decline to release the risk register even if directed to do so by the tribunal that is scheduled in a fortnight's time. This tribunal has been arranged to look into Lansley's dispute with the information commissioner. 

He said there is every possibility that the quality of advice to ministers would be greatly undermined if such assessments were to be published.

Lansley said, "To be effective, a risk register requires all those involved to be frank and open about potential risk. It is their job to think the unthinkable and look at worst-case scenarios. It is vital nothing is done to inhibit that process."

Meanwhile, the health secretary’s refusal to publish the document is seen by Labour as his attempt to cover up the risks posed by his NHS reforms. It is hopeful of forcing a vote on the issue after a debate in the House of Commons next Wednesday.

This is a "conspiracy of silence", was shadow health secretary Andy Burnham’s reaction, while several Labour backbenchers accused Lansley of hiding facts from the public. Burnham said he wanted to know the severity of the risks that Cameron and Lansley are taking with the NHS.