Some PCT's fund on the surgeons opinon so that maybe whats happening here.
When I had my first consultation I knew I didn't have funding but the consultant was saying 'Oh yes you will definately be havign your operation in March'.
I worried and worried about the funding, but found out later that our PCT funds automatically (nobody thought to tell me). They didn't tell me either that consultant I'd seen was an endochronologist and not the bariatric surgeon and I didn't get my surgery until May because of all the pre-op checks that needed to be done. But the crucial thing was that I did get the surgery.
The others are right, its doubtful any surgeon would have said yes if they didn't know for certain you'd get the funding.